Secrets, Lies and Hurt
by Daisy Seary
Summary: The nightmares begin once Jasmine starts Hogwarts and, determined to find out what is happening, uncovers family secrets she wishes she never knew. Having to deal with the pain and suffering, she must regain the trust that has broken and fight for freedom
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Chapter 1: The Beginning.

Halloween 1981. Voldemort continued on his way to make do of the boy that would destroy him. Nearly there, he told himself. The boy will die tonight.

A mother and her daughter, who couldn't be older than two, walked past him, the mother hurrying the girl at the sight of him. The Dark Lord's hand twitched. He could do away with the muggles so easily, with just one flick of his wand. What stopped him was the great power he sensed coming from within the little girl. She was dressed in a witch's costume, the typical muggle stereotype. If only they knew… He stared at the girl trying to keep up with her mother who was getting quite scared now because he was staring at her daughter, he could sense her panic. He would leave them for now. He had other things to worry about. The Potters. They had been hiding for too long. Tonight, the hunt would end.

He finally reached Godric's Hollow. As instructed, he went passed the graveyard and took the first right. There, he saw the house. The house he had walked passed without even knowing it existed, protected by the Fidelius Charm. But now, he knew it was there. He opened the gate.

A passerby saw an explosion, followed by a piercing scream. He stared, transfixed, at the ruins of a house he hadn't even been aware of. He stood there for about a quarter of an hour, before running for help…


	2. Chapter 2: Revelations

Chapter 2: Revelations.

I opened my eyes. I blinked in the sunlight. Summer was finally here. I got up slowly, taking my time and cherishing the silence. I had gotten so used to my alarm clock ringing at half six every morning, it was nice to hear the silence for once. I looked at the clock. It was nearly midday. I smiled to myself. Ah, for the days I had dreamed of getting up when I wanted. I got dressed in a tank top and skirt, and went downstairs for breakfast. Well, brunch. Of course, my parents and my brother were up.

"Good afternoon," said Claire, my mother. She was in her early 40s with shoulder length reddish blond hair, brown eyes and a smile. She was sitting on the sofa with a book with a cup of tea on the table next to her.

"Hi mum," I said, leaning down to kiss her, "did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. And do I have to ask how you slept?" she smiled again. Claire knew very well that her daughter liked to sleep in.

"Mum, can I have breakfast?" I was sure that it would fail, it was quarter to twelve, but it was worth a try.

"No, it's too late. You know that!" she looked at me. I was 11 years old with shoulder length, curly brown hair and my mum's brown eyes. Just then, my father came in.

"Oh, you're up!" he exclaimed.

"Hi, Dad," I answered, smiling. I went up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"What are you doing today?" asked her mother.

"Well, Hermione and I were thinking of going into London to see a film. If that's alright." I added.

"Isn't her father coming? I would think he would, especially after what happened…" He broke off. I could feel the tears coming to my eyes. It had been a while since I had thought of it. Yes, it was true; her father never let her out of his sight. It had taken a lot of patience from Hermione's part and a lot of convincing to let her go on the school bus alone because her dad was even thinking about a bodyguard. It was amazing that they hadn't moved out of London. It was their jobs that had kept them there. Mr. & Mrs. Granger, Hermione's parents, had their own practice. They were dentist, had been for years. Even the death of Felicia couldn't keep them away from a lifelong dream…

"Yes, " I said. "He will be there." I tried to keep my voice steady and the tears at bay. It had been hard on all of us. "I'm going to go upstairs, get ready. Call me when lunch is ready." I ran to my room and closed the door behind me.

Felicia had been Hermione's younger sister. She was two years younger than her but very bright. She had looked a lot like Hermione, the same bushy mane of hair, the same brown eyes. Hermione, Felicia and I had been very close. Felicia would be ten this year, if she were still alive. She had been killed at a shooting three years ago at a tube station in London. A madman with a gun had shot at a policeman and missed. The bullet had hit her right in the chest. It was too late when the paramedics had arrived. Hermione had never really been the same since. She had broken off all ties with music, for a start. Felicia had been a child prodigy and we all used to sing together for a laugh. I had kept the music in my life, my guitar was y life, and sworn one day to become famous for my songs and I would dedicate one for Felicia. Hermione didn't play an instrument anymore. She gave up piano and had given all her Cds to me. She didn't want to sing, that part was still too painful for her.

At three o'clock, Hermione's father rang on our door.

"I'm off", I yelled.

"Wait, when are you coming home?" asked my dad.

"Tomorrow. I'm sleeping at Hermione's tonight. I'll be home by four!" and I slammed the door behind me.

"Hello Jasmine," said Larry Granger. He was in his late forties; his hair was thinning in places and turning grey. Throughout the years, I had watched his hair get thinner and thinner. I could hardly remember him having thick brown hair.

"Hello" I replied. I got in the car beside Hermione.

"Hey!" she yelled, throwing her arms around me as I got in. "Oh, it's so weird!"

"What is?" I asked.

"We've known each other for eleven years!" said Hermione, laughing. I stared, and joined in. It was true; we had known each other since we were born, Hermione's parents, Heather and Larry, were our dentists and that's how the four parents had met. Hermione and I were born just 6 days apart. Hermione was born on the 19th of September and I was born on the 25th. Even if we didn't go to the same school, we still saw a lot of each other; we were joined at the hip.

"So?" asked Hermione.

"No," I sighed, "I asked and begged but they are persistent to make me stay at that stupid school."

"What? But you hate it there! Everybody makes fun of you, you have no friends there!"

"Thanks for making me feel so much better Hermione! I know; I hate it there. My parents – especially my mum- wants me to stay. She wants me to get some special diploma. She thinks I'm extra intelligent, but I'm really struggling there!" I hated that school. As did my brother, Steve. He'd gotten out of it by nearly failing his last year of primary. I still wasn't sure how he'd managed to do that, because I'd breezed through without even learning anything, but he'd gone to the normal British school while I was stuck at the 'special' one.

"Please, can we not talk about it now? I just want a day out in the centre of London with my sis." I said. Hermione smiled and nodded. I looked out the window. It was true that I wasn't accepted there. I was different. I was a freak. I could make the wind blow suddenly with the flick of my hand. I had once made the blackboard fall off the wall with one touch. Hermione, on the other hand, chose to be alone. She chose to be different, she didn't mind. But my seclusion wasn't my choice. It's because people were afraid of me of what I could do.

The next day, as Larry dropped me off at home, an owl dropped down. Yes, an owl. It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was shining brightly on the little London house. The owl, I saw, had a letter in its beak. I blinked. How was that possible? How could an owl have a letter? I shook my head, and let myself in. Just as I was about to call out to my parents to let them know I was home, the owl I had seen earlier came in through the still open door, dropped the letter it had been holding, and flew out again. I blinked again. I must be dreaming.

"Jasmine, is that you?" asked Claire.

"Euh… Yeah. Yeah, it's me." I said. My eyes hadn't once left the envelope. Still not looking away, I closed the door, put my bag down in the hall and scooped it off the floor. There, on the envelope, in green italic handwriting, was written:

To Ms. J. Burnett

The Second Bedroom

Number 5, Clones Street,

South London, England.

I turned the envelope round and saw the seal. It was a crest. It represented four creatures; a badger with a yellow background, a serpent with an emerald green background, a raven or a crow- I could never tell the difference- with a blue background and finally, a lion on a flaming red one. In the middle of the four animals was written: Hogwarts. Puzzled, I took my coat and shoes off, put them away, and took my bag and the envelope upstairs to my room. There, I opened it in peace.

Inside, I found two peaces of folded up paper with the same elegant handwriting as the envelope. I was almost scared to open it, scared of what it contained. After all, an owl had delivered it, and how weirder can you get? I breathed in and opened it. Just then, Steve burst in, making me jump. I screamed.

"How many times do I have to tell you to knock and wait for an answer!" I yelled. In my panic, I had dropped the letter and Steve quickly picked it up.

"What's this?" he asked, unfolding the first sheet of paper, "a letter from your boyfriend?" he snickered.

"Give it back! It's my private letter!" I tried to snatch it back, but somehow we managed to rip it in two. "You IDIOT!" I shrieked "look what you've done!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"I don't care! I hate you! First you come in my room without knocking, then you steal my letter only to rip it in half!" Claire and David ran up the stairs.

"What's going on?" asked our mum and dad simultaneously.

"Steve ripped my letter in two!" I complained.

"Ok. Steve, go. And apologize to your sister!" said David.

"I'm sorry, Jas." He said and crept off to his room.

"Now, give me the letter Jas, and I'll tape it back together, alright?" said Claire.

"Fine." I said, and gave the letter to mum. Dad then asked: "When did you get this letter? The post came this morning and you weren't here."

"I got it –" I stopped. How to explain? How could I say that I had got it through an owl when I came in? "It was still in the post box. I saw it and took it out." I was ok at lying; I just hoped they would find my excuse reasonable.

"Oh, ok." Said David.

"David. Look." Said Claire. She was staring at the letter.


	3. Chapter 3: The Journey

Chapter 3: The Journey

On the first of September, two months after I had received the strange letter from the owl, Claire, David, Steve and I were at King's Cross at a quarter to eleven, looking for platform 9 and 3/4. We had frequently been to this station and never had they heard of it. We had asked the controller, but he had just thought we were mad. I was starting to panic; the letter had contained an acceptance to Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. This was my only chance to get out of the 'special' school and into a normal one. Well, nearly normal. It may be a boarding school, but I was desperate for a new start. I would miss my family. And Hermione. Oh, poor Hermione. I had said goodbye to her about three days ago, saying that I was being transferred to a British boarding school. Hermione, as it seems, was also going to a boarding school. Either way, we'd promised to stay in touch.

I looked around. In front of me was platform 10, behind me was platform 9. But platform 9 and 3/4 wasn't there. It was now ten to eleven and I was starting to get desperate. I looked at my parents who were whispering urgently to one another. Just then, a red-headed family bobbed past saying something about muggles…. My spirits soared. With my eyes, I followed them until, one by one, they ran into the wall between the two platforms. A black haired boy was with them, talking to the mother, but I paid no attention to him, I had suddenly remembered what the man, who had accompanied us to Diagon Alley, had said. After he had tapped the bricks on the wall behind the pub, he had said that, to get to the train, you had to run into the wall. I turned to face my parents and explained.

"I think we have to run into the wall."

"Don't be silly." Claire said. Just then, she saw the black haired boy that I had spotted earlier, run straight into it. "Good heavens! He's going to crash!" but he just disappeared.

"See! Oh please let me try!" I pleaded.

"Hang on" Mum said, and walked over to the red-headed women. They stood talking for a minute. Then Claire beckoned to me.

"Yes?"

"This is Mrs. Weasley, her children are also going to Hogwarts. She says that you're right, you have to walk into the wall." I smiled and, resisting the urge to say 'I told you so', thanked Mrs. Weasley and, with her instructions, ran into the wall that was situated between platforms nine and ten.

Five minutes later, bags now in the train, I came off to say goodbye one last time. I had left my bags in the first carriage I had come across and that still had two or three seats left. I hugged her parents and brother, saying that I would write as soon as I got there. The whistle blew. I gave them one last kiss each and stepped back on the train. All the other parents were waving as well, some even crying. One woman gave her grandson back his toad that he must have forgotten. I smiled; I was sure that this was going to be a fun year. The train started moving. Faster and faster it went, all the time, I waved. A single tear fell and, for the first time, I was scared of what lay ahead.

After about five minutes, I decided it was time to go back to the carriage and I wondered who was in it. Hopefully, I would make some friends on the train. I opened the door, and stopped. There, sitting next to the window with her nose in a book, was Hermione Granger.

"Hermione?" I gasped. Hermione looked up with a shocked expression on her face.

"Jasmine?" we stared for about a minute, then hugged.

"You got accepted too?" we both yelled together.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going here?" asked Hermione.

"How was I supposed to tell you where I was going?" I said, a huge smile on my face. Forget making new friends, I still had Hermione.

About half an hour later, a boy came in. I recognised him as the boy who had been given the toad at the station.

"Has anybody seen a toad?" he snivelled. Everybody in the carriage shook his or her heads. "I've already lost him!" he snivelled again.

"We'll help you find him," said Hermione. I looked at her.

"We?"

"Yes we." She said. I sighed; this was the one thing I didn't like about Hermione. She could be very bossy at times.

"Ok, we're coming." We got up. The boy's face lit up.

"You would help me?" he said, his eyes suddenly bright.

"Sure," I shrugged. "I'm Jasmine and this is Hermione."

"I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom." He said.

"Nice to meet you Neville," I smiled. Well, maybe I'd made one new friend.

"Ok, this is the end of the train, so we better start here and make our way slowly but surely through the carriages. What carriages have you already done, Neville?" asked Hermione.

"All of them," stammered Neville, He seemed taken aback by how quickly she spoke. I hardly noticed it now I had known her for too long.

"Ok, so we'd better start again." Hermione stated. I rolled her eyes. She always had to be in control of the situation. That was something that you never got used to. Hermione started walking off so Neville and I had no choice but to follow her. Up the carriages we went, sometimes recognising some of the people we'd met on the platform. After about ten carriages, we came to the one with three boys, two of which were redheaded boys, obviously identical twins, surrounded by the content of their trunk. I recognised them from the redheaded family. The Weasleys. They were obviously looking for something. As Hermione opened the door to ask them about Neville's toad, one of the twins looked up.

"Have you seen a toad?" asked Hermione in an impatient voice, looking around the cabin with a disgusted look on her face.

"No, have you seen a tarantula?" asked the twin on the left. My face went white.

"Tarantula?" I whispered.

"Yeah, Lee let it out of its box so we could play a prank on our little brother, but lost it." The colour hadn't returned to my face. The boy called Lee looked concerned.

"What's up with you?" he asked.

"I have arachnophobia." I squeaked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's just a spider, Jas!" she snapped impatiently.

"Sorry for that. I'm Fred, by the way," Said the twin on the left, "that's George and that idiot's Lee."

"I'm Hermione, this is Jasmine and this is Neville; he's the one who lost his toad."

"Well, I hope you find it and I hope we find our eight-legged friend." Said George. Hermione, Neville and I left the compartment. I was still pale.

We continued looking through the compartments until we reached the last one. We went in. Sitting there with a whole compartment to themselves, sat two boys: one with black hair I had seen from the station and another Weasley. I recognised him as the last one to go through the wall.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy called Neville's lost one." Said Hermione, in the bossiest voice possible. Both of them shook their heads. Then, Hermione noticed that the redheaded boy was holding his wand. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then." And she sat down next to him. Neville and I stood in the doorway, feeling embarrassed. The boy said a few words, waved his wand, pointed at the rat sleeping on his lap and… nothing.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" asked Hermione. Her voice was bossier than ever. She started going on about all the books she'd read and all the spells she'd tried out. "I've learned all our books off by heart of course, I just hope that'll be enough. I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" Her speech was fast and both boys looked taken aback by it.

"I'm Ron Weasley." Said the redhead.

"Harry Potter" said the other. A hiss came my lips. I saw in her mind, the face of man with a pale face with slits for a nose and red slit-pupil eyes. "Kill him," said the man. I blinked. What was going on? I shook my head and looked. No one seemed to have noticed. Hermione was still going on about the books she had read where Harry was featured.

"You'd better get your dress robes on," she said finally. She already had hers on and had made me do the same. "We'll be arriving shortly." And with that she left, telling Neville and me to come with her back to the carriages. I stayed back a while.

"I'm sorry about her, she can be a bit bossy at times, but she's a good friend once you get to know her." I smiled. "I'm Jasmine. I hope to see you guys soon. And, again, don't judge her by what you saw just now. She's just worried about going to a new school." And with that, I left. On the way back to my carriage, I crossed paths with a boy with blond hair, grey eyes and a pointed face.

"Out of my way," drooled the boy. I stepped out of the way. I knew all too well what a bully would do if you didn't obey. He stalked past, followed by two huge boys who looked like bodyguards. I sighed and went back to the carriage. The train was slowing down by the time I reached Hermione again. The train stopped off the station. With a deep breath, I took the first step into my new world.


	4. Chapter 4: A Fresh Start

**Disclaimer: Everything (except main character and her family) belong to J.K. Rowling.**

**Warning, this Chapter's quite long, so, sorry. It's just that there was a lot to put in so little space... :)**

**Thanks! 3**

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Chapter 4: A Fresh Start

As I walked onto the now dark platform, wondering where I was, a huge man started shouting, brandishing a lantern.

"First years. First years, come with me." I went over sheepishly. I suddenly realised that Hermione was nowhere to be found. I started looking for her, then I saw her. She was right in front of the huge man. I wondered if giants existed… Probably. I wondered if he was one, or at least half. I went up to Hermione so as not to lose her. He suddenly spoke to Harry and Ron, who had come up behind us. He seemed to know them. Then, we set off down a path, through a forest to suddenly come out onto the edge of a huge lake. I gasped. There, it's windows shining like a million stars, stood the castle. I guessed that this must be the school. Its reflection shimmered across the smooth, glass-like surface of the lake.

"Only two by boat." Said the huge man. Hermione and I, both shivering with excitement, nearly ran to the nearest boat. Once in, we burst into a fit of sort of silent giggles. We were so excited. It took time for us to calm down and by that time, the boats had suddenly started moving all by themselves. We were getting closer to our new school. My new start. My one chance to feel accepted. We drew closer and then we went through a wall of ivy, only to emerge in a sort of cave under the school. The light here was a greeny colour, and I started to feel sick. It was so close.

As we got out and the huge man was checking the boats, I was shaking. I wasn't as confident as before. I was starting to feel very homesick. Hermione had become very silent too.

"Is this your toad?" asked the huge man.

"Trevor!" exclaimed Neville. I started to laugh. Ok, now I felt better.

We went up the stairs where an elderly lady was waiting for us. She looked kind of severe and intimidating, but her eyes twinkled with a kindness that she tried not to show.

"The first years, professor McGonagall." Said the man.

"Thank you, Hagrid." Said the professor. Hagrid? What sort of a name was Hagrid? Resisting the urge to laugh, we were lead to a room where we were told to wait until we were called.

I suddenly realised that I was next to Ron. He was talking to Harry about how they sorted you into the houses.

"Oh, do you know how they sort us?" I asked.

"Yeah. It some sort of test, I think. That's what Fred and George told me anyway." My knees seem to turn to jelly.

"A test? But I haven't learned anything! I didn't even know I was a witch until two months ago, and I'm still not sure if I believe it." I was panicking.

"Neither do I, I'm in the same position as you, don't worry." Said Harry. I smiled. I liked Harry. He seemed nice. Ron was looking at me.

"Didn't you revise with your friend?" he said, looking at Hermione. She was busy talking to a girl named Susan Bones. We'd met her on our useless search for Neville's toad, Trevor, while still on the Hogwarts' express.

"No, I didn't. I didn't even know she was coming here as well." Somehow, I had the feeling that Ron didn't like Hermione or me, for that matter.

"Well, try and rein her in, would you? I don't want to listen about the one hundred and one books read by Hermione What's-her-face."

"Granger." I said.

"Right. What was your name again?"

"Jasmine." I replied through gritted teeth.

"Mmh. Well, don't take this personally, but control your friend." And with that, he turned back to Harry who had been watching the scene in silence. I stalked back to Hermione.

Just then, someone screamed. I turned and screamed. There, floating through the walls, were several pale things. I didn't know how to say it. They were ghosts, but I didn't believe in ghosts. Then again, I didn't believe in magic either until two months ago. The ghosts suddenly saw us and started talking.

"Ah, first years! I hope you'll be in Slytheryn." Said the fat one.

"And I hope to see a few of you in Hufflepuff!" Said the one next to the fat one.

"Well, I can see some potential Ravenclaws in the crowd!" said the one on the far left.

"Or Griffindor." Said the one on the right to the one on the left. I had already made my mind up with Hermione. With all the information we had gathered while on the train, we decided that our choice would be first Griffindor, then Ravenclaw, then Hufflepuff and, eventually, Slytheryn. Neither of us wanted to be in separate houses, or in Slytheryn.

Then, the ghosts floated away through the wall opposite. A few minutes after that, professor McGonagall came back and told us to get into a single file. As we did, Hermione and I stayed as close together as we could. As we left the small room, through the Entrance Hall and through some huge oak doors, she was telling us that we would be sorted into our houses in front of the whole school. That didn't bother me. I wanted to be a singer, and huge crowds didn't frighten me. But when we entered the Great Hall, my stomach flipped. I had never seen so many eyes in one room. I swallowed and tried to concentrate on what Hermione was telling me about the ceiling. Ok, so it's bewitched to look like the sky outside. She read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History." Oh, yeah, I'd read that book. When I'd first got it… That was a month ago… More…

I suddenly realised what the professor was holding. She had a stool in one hand and what looked like a very old hat. Was this the test? Pull a rabbit out of a hat? That couldn't be right, it sounded kind of, well, 'muggle'-like. Then again, I was one. We went all the way up to an elevated platform where the teachers were sitting. We stopped right before it. Hermione was whispering uncontrollably now, probably looking through all the spells in her head. I tried not to think of it. When we had stopped talking – even though Hermione's mouth was still moving quite rapidly but making no sound – the hat spoke. A rip looked like a mouth, now that you came to think of it. He started to recite a poem. When he had finished, we clapped and professor McGonagall calmed us down.

"When I call your name, please come forward, sit on the stool and put on the hat." She explained. I blinked – I liked blinking when I didn't understand something – and thought I hadn't heard correctly. Put on a hat? Put on a hat? That was it? I breathed out, relieved. Hermione's lips were still moving and I nudged her to make her stop. I heard Ron's voice.

"…I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll…" I smiled. At least I wasn't the only one who had panicked. Just then, McGonagall started calling out the names. Three girls and two boys went up and tried the hat on. After that, I lost track of what was happening completely. I do that sometimes; I stare at the wall or out the window and start daydreaming. Hermione who had shoved me with her elbow to let me know that it was my turn only awaked me. With shaking legs, I went up to the stool and put the hat on. It came down over my eyes and soon, everything was black.

"Mh." Said a voice in my ear. "Where to put you? You have brains, definitely, and courage. But, something about you is making me think about Slytheryn. Yes. You would be perfect there."

"NO!" I screamed in my head. I didn't want to go to Slytheryn; something about it put me off. Maybe it was their reputation of being evil.

"Not Slytheryn?" said the voice. Was it the hat? " Why not? Oh well. As you wish." And then he shouted the last word: "GRIFFINDOR". There was a clapping and the hat was taken off me. I went to sit at the Griffindor table in front of Fred and George and next to a boy who introduced himself as Percy Weasley, prefect. Another Weasley? How many of them were there? But I couldn't talk; I had to know where Hermione was being placed. After about ten more people, it was her turn. I crossed my fingers. The hat waited for a moment before shouting Griffindor. I clapped as hard as I could. She came and sat down between Percy and me. I knew they would get along. We both followed the rules very closely. A few more people got sorted into the other houses and I noticed that two girls, obviously twins, Parvati and Padma Patil got sorted into two different houses. Parvati came to Griffindor while Padma went to Ravenclaw. I turned to face Percy.

"How come the Patil twins didn't go to the same house?" I asked.

"Well, the Sorting Hat chooses the house that best suits you. Even though one member of your family is in, say, Ravenclaw, it doesn't mean that the sibling will be too. Ron could very well be in Slytheryn for all I know. Then again, if Fred and George are in Griffindor, I don't see why Ron shouldn't be." He said. Just then, a hush came over the whole crowd. I looked round and saw that Harry was walking up to the hat. Lots of people were craning their necks to get a glimpse of him. I turned round to Percy who was muttering: "Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived? Not possible."

"Yes it is, we saw him on the train, didn't we Fred?" said George.

"Yes we did, we even helped him get his trunk on the train." Said Fred. I looked perplexed at Hermione who filled me in on Harry's story. Him and his parents had been attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Somehow, he'd survived with only a lightning scar on his forehead. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named disappeared after that night, many believed him dead, but Harry was now famous for it. For some reason, I was living the scene in my head, as if it were a memory. No, I remember! It was a dream I'd had when I was about two one Halloween night. That nightmare had scared me so much, I hadn't told anyone about it. I'd tried to block it out. Huh, apparently not well enough. I saw a tall man walk into a house, a flash of green light. A man with dark hair and glasses was lying on the staircase. He was obviously dead. He went upstairs, into a bedroom. There, a mother was standing in front of a crib.

"Step aside. You do not need to die too." Said a rasping voice. The women, who had red hair and brilliant green eyes, pleaded with him not to hurt her son. The man in the cloak hissed and a green light flashed again and the women screamed. He then turned his attention to the baby. He couldn't be more than a year old. He turned his wand to the boy's head. A green light flashed once more.

I shook my head. Wow, weird. Ok, Jasmine, deep breath. It was just a bad dream that you'd had that Halloween night. Yet, somehow, I felt like it was more than a dream. I think I have an over imaginative brain…

A few hours later, I was in my bed in the Griffindor tower. I was tired but sleep wouldn't come. I couldn't help thinking about that dream. It was freaking me out. I turned over and closed my eyes. I would ask Harry about it tomorrow. About his family, that is. I didn't want to ask him about the death of his parents. No, I wasn't that stupid. I had to weave it out of him. I would pretend I didn't know his story. I sighed once more and close my eyes. Sleep would find me eventually. That was the first time in ten years that I dreamed that dream again, to the very last detail, and it worried me. Something about this castle was bringing back unpleasant memories and I was determined to find out why.


	5. Chapter 5: The First Months

Chapter 5: The first months

_Halloween night, lost in the world, no place to go. I was dead, but no quite. I couldn't die… How could a child, a mere infant do this to me? What power did he have that I didn't? But the girl… That muggle that I'd walked past before reaching Godric's Hollow. She had magic, muggle or not; she must be mine! She must help me back to my full power! So, there I went, back towards the house. I followed her home, for she hadn't gotten far. I floated behind her, she couldn't see me, and waited till she was alone…_

The weeks went by and I was beginning to forget about the dream. I had so many other things to think about. Like, which step I had to jump over on which staircase or what doors were ticklish. Thankfully, I had Hermione who was amazing at remembering stuff like that. And in just that month of September, I knew most of the school by heart.

A lot happened in that first month; Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville and I had discovered why the corridor on the third floor was forbidden: a huge three-headed dog was there and it was guarding something. Harry had broken a rule and had ended up on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a reward – Hermione and I weren't too sure to be pleased or outraged at this. He had received his very own broomstick and had already shown Draco Malfoy, the pale-faced blond haired boy I had met on the train, who was furious that Harry hadn't been expelled, but, at least Malfoy was angry, and seeing a bully angry was funny to me.

In Charms, one of my many new classes, we were practicing our first spell: Wingardium Leviosa. I was really excited because this would be the first spell I would have learned. Hermione already knew how to do it and was anxious to show it off, as usual. It was on Halloween that we finally did the spell. Hermione and I had been practicing the pronunciation in the evenings until we could pronounce it and do the wand motion perfectly. I hadn't done both at the same time because I was scared I would get it wrong and make something disappear or make something burst into flames or something. I had long waited for this moment. We were put into pairs and Hermione ended up with Ron who hadn't spoken to one another since the day we found the dog. I ended up with Lavender. I didn't mind that much, I liked Lavender, but she was a bit too, how to put it? She believed a lot of rumours and she spread a lot of rumours. Other than that, she was sweet. That Charms lesson didn't go very well. Hermione ended up showing off and Ron didn't look too happy about it. In the end, Hermione and I were the only two who had managed to make our feathers fly. As we left the classroom, Ron and Harry were in front of us and Ron was complaining.

"She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she doesn't have any other friends than Jasmine. It's pathetic." I held my breath, wondering if there was any chance that Hermione hadn't heard it. He thinks Hermione's a nightmare? Who was he to judge? Hermione stalked off and pushed past Ron. I ran after her, only stopping to turn round to Ron and say: "Next time you insult someone, make sure they're not standing right behind you!"

I followed Hermione into the nearest bathroom. There, she locked herself into a stall and wept. I stood outside thinking of things to say. This was the one chance we had to feel accepted. Why did he have to say that? Didn't he understand that we had never fit in somewhere? We wanted to fit in. But if fitting in is being someone you're not, is that really fitting in?

We stayed in the bathroom all day. Parvati found us around dinnertime, wondering if we were coming to the feast. We hadn't left the bathroom all day and Hermione still wasn't feeling happy enough to, so we said no.

About an hour after Parvati had come in, a terrible smell wafted in.

"Come on, Hermione. Who cares about what Ron said? Let's go, I think the drains are acting up." She sniffed and spluttered. She opened the stall door at last. I smiled and Hermione tried to.

"Come here," I said with my arm around her, "let's get you cleaned up first." But we never made it to the sinks. There, a huge troll was standing club in hand. We screamed. Hermione ducked while I ran to the door. It was locked. I decided I didn't like Halloween anymore. I looked round. Hermione was cowering in the corner and the troll was advancing.

"Move!" I screamed as the troll lifted his huge club towards her. He seemed to have heard me, as he stopped and slowly turned towards me. Uh oh… The club came down. I ducked into a stall. The door burst open. I heard two pairs of feat. I hoped with all my heart it was help, like teachers, or something! But I didn't have anytime to lose, Hermione, I could see through the gaps under the doors of the stalls, hadn't moved. Bits of rock were falling on the ground. Ceiling debris? Then I heard Ron's voice:

"Hey, moron!" A piece of tap fell to the ground, and the troll turned. This was my chance. I crawled under the stalls until I reached Hermione.

"Come ON!" I screamed. She was petrified, but unhurt. Harry and Ron were trying to get the troll's attention. I lost track of events, I was still trying to get Hermione to move. I heard a thud. I looked round. I saw Ron standing in front of the troll with wand in hand and an expression of surprise on his face. I saw why. It seemed that the trolls club had fallen on its head. It was now wobbling where it stood. I also noticed that the troll had something sticking up his nose. It fell. A huge crash echoed around the remains of the room. I saw that the stall Hermione had locked herself in earlier was completely destroyed. I wondered what would've happened if we'd have stayed in there and winced at the idea. Footsteps were drawing close. Teachers came in.

"Goodness!" said professor McGonagall. Professor Quarrel whined and left the room. Professor Snipe was present, too. They hadn't noticed Hermione and me, as there was a lot of dust in the air. My head was spinning. It took a while for me to realise something: Ron and Harry had just saved our lives. After what Ron had said about Hermione, he had come and saved us. I guess I under estimated him.

"How could you think of tackling a ten-foot mountain troll by yourselves?" said McGonagall. I couldn't see her face because of the dust, but I could guess that her eyes were flashing with rage. Hermione then got up.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"They're going to be expelled!" she said with a determined look on her face. She was right, what else was going to happen? "Please Professor, they were looking for me." She stepped out of the dust and towards the voices. I couldn't let her do this!

"And me." I said quickly. I couldn't believe we were lying to a teacher about something so serious, but we owed it to them. If they hadn't been here…

"Miss Granger? And Miss Burnett?" she spluttered. "Explain yourselves!"

"We… uh…" I stopped. My mind was blank.

"We thought we could take on the troll on our own," Hermione was shaking and so was I. "You know, because we went all about them." She continued.

"Yes," I cut in, "but obviously we weren't up to it, and if Harry and Ron hadn't come, we would be, well, dead."

"Harry stuck his wand up it's nose and Ron knocked it out with it's own club!" continued Hermione. I looked at Ron. He had knocked it out with its own club? Had he managed Wingardium Leviosa? I would ask later.

Meanwhile, the professors looked completely befuddled.

"Well, in that case. Miss Burnett and Miss Granger, you foolish girls! How could you have thought of tackling a full size mountain troll by yourselves? Five points from Gryffindor. Go back to the common room, the students are finishing the feast up there." And with that, we left. I could hardly see, the blurs I'd seen while trying to help Hermione started making sense. I still couldn't get one thought out of my head: They had saved our lives. I would never forget that.

Once in the common room, we waited for the boys to come back. We thanked them and went to eat. I was sure that we would be seeing them a lot more than before.


	6. Chapter 6: Fast Forward

Chapter 6: Fast forward.

You all know what happens after that. In our second year, Hermione and I get petrified, so there's nothing really to say. I stayed with Ginny a lot, because she felt so guilty, but I became her trusted companion after that. Sometimes, Hermione would tell me she was worried we were growing apart, but I reassured her.

I will only say one more thing, before continuing the story. In our third year, in our first Divination class, the teacher turned to me and said that I would have to make a choice soon. The wrong choice could result in my death. When I asked Professor Dumbledore about it, he told me not to worry, she always predicted the death of a student or two, and so I thought nothing of it.


	7. Chapter 7: The Troubles Begin

Chapter 7: The troubles begin.

On the 25th of August, I left to go to the Burrow.

"I'm off" I said. My Hogwarts trunk was packed, I had been to Diagon Alley already with Hermione. Everything was ready. She was at the door, waiting to go.

"Wait" my mum said. "I just want you to be safe. After what happened the years before… Well, I just want you to know, no matter what happens, your family will always be there for you." She smiled. I looked at her. Her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. "I'm proud of you."

"I love you, Mum. And you Dad." I hugged them both and left.

About three hours later, Hermione and I were at the Burrow, in Ginny's room. Ron and Harry were in Ron's room, and Fred and George were doing experiments in theirs.

"Well, ready for tomorrow?" Asked Gin, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Hermione exclaimed.

The next morning, we were woken up by an alarm clock. Slowly, we got out of bed and got dressed. We then went downstairs.

"Good morning dears, did you sleep well?" asked Mrs Weasley. She was wearing an apron. It looked like she was cooking a fry up for breakfast.

"Alright" we all grumbled. After eating, we left for the Quidditch match. That's right: Mr Weasley had got Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Hermione, Harry & I discount tickets to go see the Quidditch World Cup. It was the final, Ireland versus Bulgaria, and it was said that it would be the most exciting match of the whole season. Of course, at the Burrow, you've always got to have an argument. Just before leaving, Mrs Weasley discovered that Fred & George were bringing their own concoctions to the game. After about ten minutes of shouting, which made us very late, she confiscated the sweets and we left. After meeting up with the Digory's, we arrived at the campsite.

"Go Ireland, they are the best! Go Ireland…" chanted the fans as they evacuated the stand after the game.

"That was amazing!" I said.

"Wasn't it?"

"Best game ever!" said Ron. We spoke of it all the way to the tents, where we parted ways to go to the girls'.

"A Quidditch match will never be the same again." Exclaimed Hermione.

"I agree, the way that – AH!" I yelled. My left arm had suddenly begun burning and my eyes were watering up.

"_The muggles. They must go. The muggles…"_ Voices in my head were repeating this over and over again. Was I going mad? All of a sudden, screams and bangs erupted from somewhere outside.

"Jasmine, are you all right?" asked Hermione. Ginny was close.

"We have to go." I muttered. I stood up. My arm was still burning, but I ignored it. There were more important things at hand. "Take your wands and follow me," I ordered. Without a word, they did as they were told. I went into the boys' tent. Sparks of different colours were going off everywhere, and now that we were outside, we could see them. About 20 or more Death Eaters were coming out of the mist. We entered the tent.

"Oi, this is the boys' tent, get out." Ron exclaimed.

"Do you hear the bangs?" I asked calmly.

"Yeah, so? It's just the Irish celebrating."

"It's not the Irish." I said calmly. I turned to Harry. "Get your wand. All of you. We have to leave. NOW!" I yelled and stormed out. They were approaching, getting closer to the tent. And closer to Harry. We ran, once everyone was there. I was in agony by now, my arm felt like it was on fire, but I never stopped. I made sure Harry was with us at all times. We ran to the woods, away from the Death Eaters.

"Wait." Harry yelled. "Where's my wand?" Panic stricken, we looked around.

"We haven't got time to look, Harry, we have to keep moving!" We started arguing, but it was soon broken up by the Death Eaters' approach. We left and finally reached a clearing in the woods. We heard a rustling in the bush behind us, and a noise, like someone uttering a spell.

"Argh!" yelled Harry and I at the exact moment. We looked at the sky. There, a huge skull hung in the sky. His mark. I looked at the origin of my pain. For a second I thought I saw the outline of a skull, but it faded too quickly for me to analyze it properly.

"Stop!" Someone yelled. The Ministry had finally arrived. After a commotion with Winky, Mr Barty Crouch's house elf, we were free to return to the Weasley's.

"I still can't believe what happened!" Said Hermione. "Mr Crouch shouldn't have fired Winky!" We groaned. This was the fourth or fifth time she had complained about it.

"Let it go, Hermione, it's been 3 days!" Ron snapped.

"Jas, I've been meaning to ask you; have you got something wrong woth your left arm?" Ginny asked. I shrugged and shook my head. "Because, you were in pain in the tent, and then said that we had to leave, as if you knew that the Death Eaters were there."

"Yeah, and then later, when the Mark appeared in the sky, you screamed at the same time as Harry. For him, it was his scar, and for you, it was your left arm." Hermione continued. I rolled up my sleeve.

"Happy? There's nothing there."

That night, while everybody was asleep, I looked at my arm. It was true, something weird was going on, and I really wanted to know what. Why did my left arm hurt? What was the connection between the skull in the sky and the skull I thought I saw on my arm, just moments later. Why did it hurt that much? I turned onto my side. I wanted to know the truth. But I was scared where it would take me…


	8. Chapter 8: Back to School

Chapter 8: Back to School

_Her face went white as if she had seen a ghost. "Don't be afraid, I want you know harm. I want your daughter. She must help me. If she does not, you will all die…"_

I woke up in a sweat. Gasping, I looked at my watch. 5:38 am. Nice. Waking up from a nightmare near the time we have to leave, well done Jas! What was that nightmare about? I replayed it in my head. The women's face was blurred but I thought I knew her… She looked very familiar… I shrugged the covers off me and went to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror. My face was as white as the women's had been and there were tears running down my cheeks. I wiped my face and then left the bathroom. Outside, I bumped into Harry.

"Oh, hey." He whispered. He seemed to be shaking.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, bad dream, that's all. You?"

"Same. Want to share?" He smiled.

"So, that's the story. The women's face was blurred so I couldn't make it out. Weird, huh? I feel like I know her…" I stared at the wall. We were sitting in the lounge, waiting for the others to get up.

"Someone from Hogwarts maybe? I don't know." Harry yawned and looked at his watch.

"Well, I would love to analyze our dreams, Jas, but can we do that later, like on the train. It's half six, we have an hour before we're supposed to get up. We should probably rest."

"Yeah," I said, getting up too, "let's sleep."

"GET UP NOW!" I jumped out of bed. It was 8 o'clock in the morning. I'd over slept! I quickly grabbed all my things and ran downstairs. After a very quick breakfast, we all left, making sure we had everything. The journey was silent, and most of the Weasleys fell asleep. Ron & I stared out the window and talked about Hogwarts, what we missed and what we were dreading to see again. Upon our arrival at Kings Cross, we woke the others and went to the platform, got on the train and into a carriage. There, we talked.

"Ok, so, two bad dreams in the same night. And the people who had these dreams are the ones who reacted in the same way when the Dark Mark was up in the sky. Coincidence? I think not." Hermione, as usual, was analyzing everything to the last detail.

"Hermione, it was just a –" I started but got interrupted by, guess who, Hermione.

"I should think Sirius would want to hear about the dream and the world cup. Especially since it's Jasmine who reacted in the same way and the fact that she had a nightmare at the same moment! And –" I cut her off.

"Leave it, Hermione! That's not important! We've already said that it was nothing!" We sat in silence.

At last, the Hogwarts Express stopped at the station and we got off. Once in the castle, the sorting ceremony started and, once finished, we all sat in complete silence.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts, everyone. And for those who have just started, welcome. This year is not a normal year for Hogwarts. We have been selected to host the Triwizard Tournament." A buzz of conversation started. Only Hermione, it seemed, was the only one who knew what it was.

"But people have died!" she whispered.

"Hush. Mr Barty Crouch has implied new rules so as to ensure the safety of the students."

"Yes," Mr Barty Crouch started. "For instance, one of the most important ones I have put in place is that no one under the age of seventeen can apply." A wave of moans and complaints rose into the air.

"Silence!" Shouted professor Dumbledore. "Eternal glory is what awaits the winner. But to win, the chosen must go through three very dangerous tasks. That is why no one under 17 can enter." A few whispers were heard throughout but it was mainly silent. I, however, did not have a good feeling about this.

"Now, let us meet our guests. From France, the Beaubatons!" The doors flew open and in came twenty or more beautiful people. They moved with such grace that even Hermione was staring in aw. Someone wolf-whistled. Then, their Headmistress came in. If I didn't know Hagrid, I would have been afraid. This woman was huge. Taller then Hagrid, the tallest person I'd ever seen!

"Mme Maxime! How are you dear?" Said Dumbledore.

"Very well, sank you."

"Now, from Bulgaria: the Durmstrangs!" Again, the doors flung open but this time, the students who came in were nothing like the French. They were heavy set and looked dangerous. The last to come in, beside their headmaster was none other then Victor Krum, the seeker we'd seen in the match we went to see just a few days ago!

"I don't believe it! It's Victor Krum!" Ron mumbled. Once everyone was settled, Dumbledore spoke again:

"Now, eat" As always, the food appeared on the plates once Dumbledore had finished speaking.

Once in bed, I played my nightmare over again. I'd looked intently at every single person in the Great Hall and not one of them was the one from my dream. Who was that women? And why had the voice spoken about her daughter…

_Yes, dream. Dream of your destiny see of what you must do. You will help me or your family shall die. Don't make the wrong choice or you could lose everything…_


	9. Chapter 9: The Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 9: The Triwizard Tournament

At last, Thursday arrived. Today was the last day people could apply and the day that the participants were chosen. Harry & Ron had gone on and on about different ways to get through and a way to win. Hermione had burst their bubbles a few times but I'd joined in. We'd even done research for fun. We hadn't found anything, though.

We were sitting in Defence Against the Dark Arts and everybody was buzzing with excitement.

"I bet Victor Krum gets in, there's no way he'll lose. It won't be fair on the others though…"

"Mr Weasley, unless you have something important to say about the Three Unforgivable Curses, shut up." Mad Eye Moody was staring at him with his blue eye. He fell silent.

"Imagine if we'd actually got through, we would've been massacred!"

"Yeah, shame… Hermione would've put up a good fight." We looked at Hermione as she went red. I smiled. Yeah, Hermione would've been fine.

"Miss Burnett, sit in the front next to Mr Longbottom. If we can't shut you up, we'll have to separate you from Mr Weasley." Grudgingly, I moved to the front. "Now, today, I will show you how these curses affect humans." He said this while looking at me. I stared with a horrified look on my face. Was he going to kill me? Or worse, torture me? He saw my discomfort. Everyone was very silent. He turned to me, raised his wand and –

"Stop it! It's illegal! Especially on students! You can't do this!" It was Hermione who had spoken. "Do you think that killing a student or torturing them will be allowed just because you're a teacher?"

"Ms Granger, did you think I would do that? I was just going to demonstrate the Imperius Curse. Nothing more, I know the rules."

"He's completely mental! I can't believe he just did that!" Hermione was still moaning as we sat down for dinner.

"It was actually quite a fun experience." Harry murmured. "One you would have found interesting and educational if you would have wanted to." Ron and I agreed. Hermione, however, sat sulking.

After dinner, the whole hall fell silent. This was the moment everybody had been waiting for: the time when the three champions would be revealed. The Goblet had been brought out and stood in front of the teachers' table.

"Now," said Dumbledore, "the three Triwizard Champions shall be chosen." The fire in the goblet went scarlet and a small, folded piece of parchment flew out.

"From the Beaubatons: Fleur Delacour." A wave of applause greeted her as she went through the hall and out the door behind the teachers. Again, the fire burnt bright red and another piece came out.

"From Hogwarts: Cedric Diggory." Cheers erupted as he followed Fleur out. One champion was left unnamed. Everybody held a collective breath. Finally, the flames changed and out it flew, the parchment with the Durmstrangs' champions' name.

"And, finally, our last champions. From Durmstrangs: Victor Krum." Never, in the three years I had sat here, had I ever heard such applause as that. Everybody in the hall was clapping and cheering, only to stop once he had left the room. Dumbledore waited for everyone to calm down, before continuing.

"The three champions are now bound by a contract. There is no going back now. Eternal glory awaits the champion. And now, -" There was a scream, and everybody turned. The Goblet's flames had once more turned scarlet and a small piece of parchment flew out. Bewildered, Dumbledore plucked it out of the air. Harry, Hermione, Ron and I looked at each other.

"Harry Potter." Whispered Dumbledore. Everybody in the hall stared. "Harry Potter!"

"Go on!" urged Hermione. My throat had gone dry. How could this be? How could Harry's name have ended up in the Goblet of Fire? This wasn't possible. Harry was walking slowly up to Dumbledore, unsure what to do. I wished I could've helped him, but how? He too left the room.

Later that evening, I sat on the armchair by the fire with Ron and Hermione sitting on the sofa next to me. Harry still wasn't back yet. The common room around us was buzzing with excitement, waiting for Harry to tell them how he'd done it. We, however, sat in silence, waiting for him to come.

"I can't believe him." It was Ron who had broken the silence.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"I can't believe it. He obviously found a way round the age ring and didn't tell me." I stood up and glared at Ron, my eyes flashing with anger.

"You think he wants to be in this situation? Do you think he actually meant it when he said he wished he could join? Use your common sense, Ron! Neither of you meant it, it just looked nice from your point of view, but if you had given it some thought, you would have seen that it was much too dangerous –" I stopped. Harry walked in. Immediately, people bustled round him, asking him how he'd managed to get through the age ring. Hermione went up to the dormitory, not wanting to talk much.

"Ron, maybe we should wait for him in the dormitory, it'll be quiet up there." He nodded and we left the common room.

It took a while for Harry to shake off the crowd and join the dormitory. Ron and I had sat in silence, waiting. At last, he entered.

"Harry!" I yelled" Are you alright?"

"No. Somebody's put my name in the goblet and I don't know whom. And everybody thinks I did it."

"And, did you?" I asked nervously.

"No!" he yelled. "I don't know how my name got in because I didn't put it there!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it." Challenged Ron, standing up from the bed. "Famous Harry Potter, couldn't wait to have another shot at fame, could you? Couldn't resist the urge to show everybody how clever you were!"

"Stop it, Ron! Stop it, just stop it!" I yelled, but they acted as if I hadn't spoken. Resisting the urge to hit Ron, I went out of their dormitory. The common room was still alive with the celebrations, but I went straight up the girls' stairs.

"Is Harry-" began Hermione, but, seeing the look on my face, stopped. I went to bed, hoping that tomorrow will be a bit nicer.


	10. Chapter 10: The Third Task

Chapter 10: The Third Task

The year had passed quickly and the third task was upon us at last. Hermione, Ron and I had helped Harry prepare for it. We had all suffered being stunned and reanimated, waking up the next morning with bruises all over our body and spending endless hours in the library. We had also had to study for our end of year exams, which had finished just a few hours before the task had started.

"I can't believe this is the final task!" breathed Hermione, her face glowing with excitement, but her eyes showed signs of worry.

"Don't worry, Harry will be fine." In saying this, I was trying to reassure myself. Harry shouldn't be in this tournament. Someone was trying to kill him. I shook my head. I must not think about that. This was his last chance to kill Harry. And he was now fully armed with so many jinxes and hexes; they wouldn't fit on one hand.

The task had been going on for ages now, and we were beginning to worry. We'd all heard Fleur scream and a jet of red sparks a few minutes later had shown Viktor Krum appear unconscious. It was between Cedric and Harry now. The whole ground was yelling encouraging things to the maze, but we knew that they couldn't hear us. Suddenly, we saw a flash.

"They've got it! They've both got the cup!" Someone yelled. Then, silence. Where had they gone? Where were they? Everyone peered around. They seemed to have disappeared…

"Miss Burnett, come with me," whispered a gruff voice in my ear. I started and turned. It was Mad Eye Moody.

"Uh, ok." I replied and, with one quizzical look back at Ron and Hermione, I followed him out. "Professor, where-"

"No questions, I'll explain in a moment." We walked all the way to his office, where he sat down. "You have been a traitor, Miss Burnett."

"Excuse me?" I was puzzled. What was he talking about? Moody smiled.

"How's your left arm?"

"What?" I instinctively crossed my arms.

"Have you had pains in it? Have you felt it burn?" His magical eye was gazing at my arm. I now looked too. My arm bothered me sometimes, it was true, but the last time it had burned was just before we came back to Hogwarts.

"I don't understand why you're asking me these questions, Sir." I was quite scared now. Could he explain what was happening to me? Could he tell me whom that woman was and who was talking to her?

"Please, sit down," he said, gesturing to a chair. I sat. As soon as I touched it, I felt a hook just under my navel and, before I realised what was happening, it stopped. I was still sitting on the chair, but I wasn't in Moody's office. I was in a graveyard. Looking around, I saw Cedric lying on the ground, Wormtail writhing on the ground and a huge cauldron about 5 or 6 feet from me. I heard something moving on my right. I turned and saw Harry tied to a headstone. He was in pain, I saw blood all over one of his shoes and a huge gash was in his arm. Then, something inside the cauldron came out and stepped onto the ground…


	11. Chapter 11: Secrets Revealed

Chapter 11: Secrets Revealed.

Before I could scream or even stand up, Wormtail saw me and recovered enough to point his wand at me and yell something. Immediately, ropes shot out of his wand to bind me. The chair was sinking a bit into the damp ground. I was completely stuck. Harry looked around for a moment, saw me and was about to say something when a man said:

"Wormtail, my wand." We both stared. It was impossible. No way could this be… But it was. Right in front of me was Voldemort. It had to be. This was exactly as I'd pictured him. I was petrified.

"Give me your hand, Wormtail."

"Oh, thank you, Master, thank you!" he then held out a stump and I realised with a jolt that he was missing his right hand.

"Your other hand, Wormtail." He began sobbing again.

"But Master, you promised!" he squeaked. Voldemort ignored him and pointed his forefinger onto something on Wormtail's left arm. At that exact moment, my left arm burnt. I looked and rolled up my sleeves with some difficulty, as I was trapped under the ropes. I saw, clear as day, the Dark Mark on my skin. I stared. How can this be? It must be a trick. This couldn't be real!

"How many shall return…" He started to talk, but I wasn't listening. He started talking to Harry about some house for a while, but I was too busy trying to get my wand out of my pocket, which had folded over and was out of reach. Scared of attracting attention, I stopped. I tried hopping away, but stopped again. Luckily, I was half hidden behind a headstone. Then:

"My true family returns." I stared. Masked wizards were apparating here and there. They moved cautiously forward, looking around. I panicked and tried to move away more rapidly, but managed to fall over. A headstone stopped me, so I was looking at the scene in front of me at an angle. I saw the Death Eaters that had come form a circle around Voldemort. Unfortunately for Harry & me, we were included in it.

"Welcome Death Eaters." He started. He then went on about Death Eaters and the past. He spoke to some Death Eaters and walked around the circle, saying names of those who were missing. Then, after a while, he turned to Harry

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall? You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him - and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen... I could not touch the boy."

Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek. I held my breath. What was he doing? I forced my chair back onto its four legs.

He put a finger on Harry's face and I saw him force himself not to scream. The pain must be awful…

"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah...pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost...but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know...I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked...for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself...for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand...

"I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist... I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited... Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me...one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body..., but I waited in vain...

"Before I left England, however, I remembered a little girl I had passed earlier that night, just before entering Godric's Hollow. I went back to where I had seen her and her mother. They had not gone far. I followed them home. There, I forced the mother to stand aside. This one did as she was told, but, then again, she was muggle. The father was not there, but I knew that he must be a wizard. There was no evidence in the house, but I had felt the power, the magic coming from that little girl." He turned to me and smiled his horrible smile. "Your mother, Jasmine Burnett, stood aside and let me brand you with the mark you see now upon your arm." I stared. What? I was a Death Eater? "Your mission was to bring me Harry Potter. To make sure that he would be there for me to kill." His eyes flashed at that point. "This, you did not do, but no matter. You still have time to make amends. I shall see to it that you are punished, but learn the error of your ways." He then turned away and, before long, had finished. I was playing it over and over in my head. Me, a Death Eater? It wasn't possible! It was true that I had discovered that my dad was actually a squib, so that was why I had never known about magic. But still, I was not a Death Eater. I could never betray Harry! I was trying to make sense of it. This couldn't be happening. I was so caught up in what he'd said that I missed the whole battle between Harry and Voldemort. I only saw the golden orb surrounding them vanish and him running to the cup and disappearing without a second look around. He'd left me here. He'd abandoned me. Voldemort let out a howl and turned round to face me. I was the other side of the cauldron. His look was murderous. He cut the cords with a flick of his wand cutting my robes and drawing blood on one of my legs. One of Death Eaters then threw me into a room with no windows. I fell to the floor, clutching my leg. As I turned over, I saw, right beside me, the half decomposed body of an old man. I yelled.

"Let me out! Let me out!"


	12. Chapter 12: Hermione's POV

Chapter 12: Hermione's P.O.V.

The year had ended, said goodbye to Viktor, Harry and Ron, and was going home at last. One thing was still weighing on my mind: Jasmine's mysterious disappearance. No one had seen her since she'd gone off with Moody, who was actually Barty Crouch Jr. The Prophet had done a piece about her and the Ministry of Magic, as well as the muggle police were looking everywhere for her. The last person to see her, according to Dumbledore, was Harry, but when I'd tried asking him about it, his eyes would go dark and he would change the subject. Something was very wrong.

All through the summer, Jasmine was missing and thought of as dead, though her parents never gave up. Harry, with whom Ron & I could not speak freely because Dumbledore had forbidden us to tell him about Grimmauld Place, was still with his aunt and uncle. I was convinced she was alive, but, wherever she was, she was not fine.

In August, Harry's hearing came up. We all knew he would not get expelled, though it was weird that the dementors were there. We didn't speak much about it. Ron & I received our letters and badges saying that we've been made prefects. Harry just received a normal letter.

"At least you got one, you were nearly expelled," Said Ron. He was still shocked about being named prefect.

The next day was very important. The Daily Prophet arrived for me and the headline caught my eye at once:

_**Missing girl found at last!**_

_15-year-old Jasmine Burnett disappeared on the 24__th__ of June. The ministry, with the help of the muggle police, have been searching for her since. She was last seen going off with the Death Eater, Barty Crouch Jr, disguised as Alistor Moody, the well-known aura. The girl was found wondering the streets and the muggle police took her to a nearby hospital. However, her father had pleaded with Ministry officials that she is taken to St Mungo's as soon as possible. _

"THEY'VE FOUND HER!" I screamed. Everyone in the kitchen gathered round. We left immediately after breakfast.

We were only allowed to visit after a few days had gone by. Apparently, she was very stressed and was scared even to blink. Her family came with us on the day. Claire was crying she was relieved so much. David and Steve were both pale as ghosts as they stood there, waiting. At last we went in…


	13. Chapter 13: St Mungo's Hospital

Chapter 13: St. Mungo's Hospital

I was lying in a hospital bed clutching my left arm. I'd bandaged it up as soon as I had arrived in a hospital. I hadn't let anyone see it. The Dark Mark was on my arm full time now. There was no way of hiding it. The nurses had tried to persuade me to let them see it but I was adamant. No one, absolutely no one, shall see the mark.

"Miss Burnett, you have visitors" I looked at the door. My mother, my father and my brother all came in.

"Oh, Jasmine!" sobbed my mother, throwing her arms around me. I pushed her off and jumped out of bed. I stared, eyes flashing. I wasn't letting her off without an explanation.

"Honey, where have you been? We've been so worried!" I didn't move.

"Jasmine," my dad said. "You do know who we are, don't you?" he was talking to me as if I had brain damage.

"Your names are Claire, David and Steve Burnett." I said in a matter of fact voice.

"I'm your mother, honey," sobbed Claire. I glared.

"I have no mother." I spat at the ground around Claire's feet. She stared, then tried again.

"But you do, Jasmine. I'm your mother, and David-"

"Legally, yes, you are my mother. Biologically, yes, you are my mother. But you are a mother who has failed in her role of protecting her child and so, to me, you are not my mother." She stared at me. Then, David came forward.

"Now Jasmine, we know you've been through a rough summer, but –"

"You know nothing!" I shrieked, "You know nothing about what's happened to me! All because of you, you did nothing to prevent it from happening, you let it happen!" Tears were streaming down my face, now. I was pointing furiously at Claire, who shrank back behind her husband. Nurses were running in with their wands. A reporter had sneaked his way in. In the doorway, I saw Hermione and the Weasleys staring at me with a terrified expression.

"You know nothing and you let it happen! For nearly two months I have been under extensive torture! For two months I was starved to near death! For two months, tortured, locked in a room! Tortured by Voldemort!" Silence fell about the room. My dad's face had gone white as chalk as it had done when he entered. My mother uttered a shaky laugh.

"Jas, dear, you're delusional. From what I've been reading on your paper, he isn't back. And why would he go for you? No, he's not back. Someone did torture you, I can see it in you eyes, but no way was it him."

"I beg to differ, Claire, you just hope it isn't him so that I never find out about what happened to me that Halloween night. The night Voldemort tried to kill Harry but got hit with his own curse. Tell me your version of the story, because I know. I know that you stood aside and let Voldemort brand me like cattle!" I ripped the bandage off my left arm and shoved it in front of her. There, on my arm, was the Dark Mark. Everyone held a collective breath.

"Jasmine, you must understand, he threatened to kill me." She whispered, her eyes widening with fear.

"Well, he will now. You just destroyed me. In trying to protect yourself, you have destroyed me. I will never forgive you." I stood there, staring at her. She burst into tears. David was staring from the mark on my arm to my sobbing mother.

"What, what is the meaning of this?" He whispered. He looked petrified.

"It was so long ago! I didn't realise the consequence of it, I, I… I'm so sorry Jasmine!" She sobbed. I just glared.

"On the night Voldemort –"

"Don't say his name!" Shrieked a nurse.

"- fell, the night he tried to kill Harry, he came to see Claire and threatened her if she did not let him mark me as his follower. I was meant to lure Harry to him, to keep him weak."

"No!" shrieked a voice from the doorway. I looked. Hermione was standing there, her hands over her mouth. "No, that can't be true." She, too, was crying.

"I didn't choose this life, it was chosen for me. I would never have chosen this path if I'd had the choice, but –"

"Really, you wouldn't?" It was Harry who had spoken. My stomach seemed to drop. I looked round. "Because, honestly, I doubt that very much. Strange that you should have looked up ways to get past the age line. Who's to say that you didn't help Crouch try and kill me? You were the one who came up with all the spells I needed to get me through the task."

"Harry, I would never…" I started, but my voice failed me. This was exactly what I had been dreading. He blamed me. He thought I had something to do with him and the Goblet.

"Harry, that is ridiculous!" Said Mrs Weasley, firmly. I could see that she was holding tight to her wand, as if ready to use it. She was trying not to look at my unbandaged arm. "She's fifteen!"

"That's enough!" Shouted a voice. The head nurse had appeared. "Everybody out!" They all left. Claire was still sobbing, "I'm sorry", but I wasn't listening to her anymore. I was exhausted. As soon as the room was empty, I fell to the floor and cried…


	14. Chapter 14: The New Year

Chapter 14: The New Year

In the next few days, I received few visitors. Claire had tried to see me, but I had refused to acknowledge her existence. David and Steve often visited, and it was nice to have some company. Before I was allowed to go to Hogwarts, however, I was to be put under inspection. The Ministry wanted to make sure I had no ties with Voldemort or any Death Eaters. This, as they said, was just the routine. I was cleared almost immediately and was allowed to go back to school. My father had bought all my books for me. The knowledge of what his wife had done, or hadn't done, had come as a huge shock and I wondered if he would ever recover. The fact that my father is a squib means that he knew all about Lord Voldemort and was outraged that Claire had let him through without a fight. Steve and I both knew that their marriage, which had been rocky for ages, wouldn't get through this barrier.

I left for Hogwarts on the morning of the first of September in a sombre mood. For the first time, I wished I were back at my old muggle school. At least no one knew who Lord Voldemort was and they would just think I'd gotten a tattoo or something. I sighed. I couldn't run from it. It was my past, my present and my future. It was a part of me.

When we arrived at King's Cross, I could feel people staring and whispering. The Daily Prophet had published an article about me. It had been published the day before, saying:

_Miss Jasmine Burnett, age 15, was abducted by a Death Eater, Barty Crouch and others who have not yet been caught, on the 24__th__ of June. She was tortured by these people into believing that He Who Must Not Be Named is back, even went as far as copying their Dark Mark onto her arm, but, rest assured, He is not back. "The poor girl's been tortured, been forced into believing some horrid things. But she will soon get her facts strait." Said the nurse in charge of Miss Burnett._

They thought I was mad and the prophet, later in the article, had asked people to be kind with me. They wanted the whole wearing world to pity me.

Once on the platform, I saw Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys accompanied by some wizards that I didn't know and a big bear-like dog.

"Snuffles!" I whispered. He pricked up his ears as though he had heard me, turned his head to look at me and uttered a deep, threatening growl, shackles raised. He then turned back to Harry. I was close to tears.

I got on the train just before the doors closed and walked down it, trying to find a compartment. People whispered and pointed, but I didn't care. I kept my mind focused to finding a compartment. At last, I came to one that was nearly empty, apart from a girl with long dirty blond hair. It appeared that she had only just entered the compartment herself.

"Uh, hello." I said, tentatively. She looked at me. "Do you mind if I take those seats?" She stared. I was beginning to feel like she would say no and I'd have to spend the journey in the corridor, when she smiled and said, kindly, and in a sing-song voice:

"Of course."

"Thank you" I said and went in. I put my trunk onto the luggage rack and turned to her. "My name's Jasmine. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Luna Lovegood. And I know who you are. You were all over the Daily Prophet." She smiled again and the disappeared behind a magazine. I smiled and looked out the window. Then the carriage door slid open. My heart sank. Standing in the doorway was Neville, Ginny and Harry. He wasn't looking at me. I looked out the window again. This was going to be a long journey.

"Hi Luna. Is it okay if we take these seats?" It was Ginny who had spoken. Luna looked up, stared at all three of them, and then nodded. They all put their luggage away, then sat down. I sat in my corner, careful not to look at anyone.

After about five minutes, I decided to go for a walk, not wanting to sit there any longer. I would return for my things when the journey was over. It wasn't long before I wished I'd stayed in the carriage. Everyone was staring at me. I then decided to lock myself in the toilet, it seemed that it was the only place I wouldn't be goggled at like some zoo animal.

The journey ending, I walked to the carriages and went up to the castle in a carriage of my own. Everyone had piled out of it, as if worried I would curse them all. In the Great Hall, everyone vacated the seats that were nearest to me, forcing the newly sorted Griffindors to sit beside me, a fact that seemed to terrify them greatly. I left the feast early. I wasn't feeling very hungry. I had only eaten about three mouthfuls and was feeling sick. I wondered if I was coming down with something. But I knew it had been Umbrige's speech that had made me feel uneasy. I knew that I was the reason she was here, to keep an eye on me. And Harry. And Dumbledore. I headed straight to the girls' dormitory and went straight to bed. I didn't hear the others come in as I was fast asleep before my head hit the pillow.

The next morning, I woke very early so I didn't have to face anyone and went to the Great Hall. The only people who were there were the teachers and a few other students. I obtained my timetable from Professor McGonagall and left immediately after I'd had a piece of toast. Students were starting to enter the Great Hall. I went straight to my first lesson. I was sure that Ron, Harry and Hermione would have the same timetable, but I wasn't ready to face them just yet. History of Magic was the fist one on the list. I sat in the back row and, for the first time since I'd started at Hogwarts, took notes. I didn't want to let my mind wander, because I knew where it would take me. Double Potions went quickly as well because I was concentrating very hard so my mind didn't wander again. I had managed, for the first time, to make a potion worthy of Hermione.

Lunch was next, so I quickly went to the Great Hall. People stared at me, some even left when they saw me. I sat down, had a few mouthfuls of something, and left. I went straight to Divination, thinking no one would be there yet. As I arrived, I saw Harry sitting alone, so waited on the stairs. I entered the classroom after Harry, careful to sit as far away as I could.

"Welcome back to Divination." Whispered Professor Trelawney.

The lesson was about dream analyses, something that was as boring as History of Magic. As I was alone, I just pretended I was a slow reader, so I didn't have to do the dream analyses.

"Please, for the next month, I would like you all to keep a dream diary, where you shall record every dream you have had for a month." Trelawney was looking around at the class, her eyes magnified by her stupid lenses. The bell rang, and, just as I was about to leave, Trelawney asked: "Miss Burnett, may I speak to you?"

"Um, of course" I replied, unwillingly.

"It has come to my attention that you are delusional about a Dark wizard. Do not worry; I do not think you are mad, just in need of help. I have spoken to Dumbledore, and he agrees that extra lessons with me will help you out. So, starting today, you will come to my classroom at five o'clock for these extra lessons."

"For how long?" I asked.

"We shall see. It depends of your mental strength." And with that, bid me goodbye.

I had to run to the next lesson so I wasn't late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. I sat, once more, in a seat in the back. Professor Umbridge was already there. The class was very silent.

"Good afternoon." She said. A few mumbled back. "Tut tut, that won't do. When I say 'Good afternoon', I would like you to reply 'good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time."

I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to take part in her stupid greetings. She then told us to put our wands away and get her quill. She tapped her wand on the blackboard and words appeared: 'Return to the Basics'. What? She was going to start from the beginning? That was ridiculous!

About ten minutes into the fight between the students and the teacher, Harry stood up, yelling at her about what had happened that night. He then left the room, slamming the door. There was a deadly silence.

"Well, now that's over." She smiled her slimy smile.

"He's not lying." I said, weakly. Everyone turned to look at me. Umbridge smiled.

"We all know you think he's back because of what happened dear," she was talking as if to a five year old, or someone with brain damage, "but Harry Potter is a liar."

"No he is NOT!" I yelled. "He is telling the truth!"

"Of course he isn't, dear. Now sit down and don't interfere in things that don't concern you." She then went back to her lesson. I sat down, aware of everyone staring at me. "But I expect to see you everynight at 5 o'clock in my office. Professor Trelawney was supposed to give you those 'extra lessons', but the ministry feels you will be better off with me." She smiled and resumed her lesson.


	15. Chapter 15: Umbridge's 'Extra Lessons'

Chapter 15: Umbridge's 'Extra Lessons'

I left the class with people whispering behind my back, some even asking me, in a mocking tone, if everything was all right. I didn't go to dinner, but straight to the library to do Snape's essay on Moonstone. I finished at 10 minutes to 5. I packed up and headed calmly to Umbridge's office, wondering what she had in store. Would she try and brainwash me? I would have preferred having these lessons with Trelawney, she would probably have made me meditate, or something. I knocked on the door just before 5 o'clock.

"Come in" Umbridge cooed. I entered. The walls were pink, and covered in plates that were decorated with cats. Everything on her desk was perfect. _What a neat freak_, I thought. "Ah, Miss Burnet. Come, sit." She gestured to a chair in front of a desk that had a piece of parchment on it. "I want you to write lines for me. But not with your quill," she added as I opened my bag, "with a special one of mine. No need for ink," as I took out an inkbottle, "this quill doesn't need it." I stared, puzzle, at the quill she'd given me.

"Professor, this seems more like a detention than something to help me." I exclaimed.

"Writing lines is also a punishment in detention, that is true, but it is the only way of getting a message across. Now, write, 'I must not believe lies'. Understand?"

"How many times?" I asked.

"Depends how long it takes to sink in."

I started writing and, as I did so, a pain shot through my hand. _Just a cramp_, I thought, and continued. As I finished writing the first line, I looked at my hand and saw the words etched there. I stared. The words healed, leaving only a red mark.

"Is something wrong?" She cooed.

"No. Nothing's wrong." I said, looking straight at her. She smiled, and I continued writing. After two hours, she finally told me to stop. She looked at my hand, nodded, and said to meet her back here tomorrow. I went straight to the dormitory, my right hand smarting where the words had appeared. That devil, that evil little toad! Making me write in my own blood. She's not going to get to me; this is not the worst torture I have had! And I stormed through the portrait hole. The common room was still quite full and people stared at me as I walked past. I got to the girls' staircase, where I met Ginny.

"Oh, sorry," and I let her pass. But she didn't, she just stayed there, looking at me. I hadn't spoken to Ginny since June, as she hadn't come to visit me in the hospital, which didn't surprise me.

"Jasmine, I've been meaning to talk to you." She whispered shyly. I looked at her. The common room had gone strangely quiet, as nearly everyone was watching us. "I wanted to ask you if it was true. That your mother hadn't stopped You-Know-Who, and you're still on our side."

"I never stopped being on your side, Gin. Harry's my best friend I would never betray him. I didn't put his name in the Goblet last year, I didn't want to be on Voldemort's side. I will never be on his side. Just because he thinks that I will doesn't mean that I will." My eyes were tearing up. She looked at me and, with a determined look, said loudly enough for everyone to hear:

"I believe you."

"Wha- what?" I said, startled.

"I said, I believe you when you say that You-Know-Who's back, and when you say you didn't choose to have the Dark Mark on you and your loyalty is still with your friends."

"You believe me?" I was positively crying now.

"Yes. You stood by me in my first year when I opened the Chamber of Secrets and some people didn't believe I'd been possessed. You defended me, and it's time I repaid the favour. I will stand by you as you stood by me."

"Oh Ginny!" I sobbed and threw my arms around her neck.

"How can you believe her?" yelled Lavender.

"Ginny, that's not wise, she's not right in her mind." Someone else whispered.

"And you're not making it any better!" Ginny yelled back. "How would you feel if you'd been tortured?" Silence fell.

"Ginny," it was Fred who had come, "are you sure about this?"

"I am." She said, defiantly.

"Well, if Ginny believes you, then so will we." Said George.

"Nice to be able to speak to you again, we knew that Ginny would come to you if you weren't a, well, you know…" Fred said.

"A Death Eater?" I completed.

"Yeah. Sweet?" George offered.

"No thanks, they're the Puking Pastel things, aren't they? I may have been tortured, but I'm not stupid." I smiled and I realised that today was the first day I had since June. I felt light as a feather. Today was the day that everything changed.

Hermione was lying on her bed reading as I came up.

"Hey, Hermione," I said, smiling broadly at her. I was still in a really good mood after speaking to Ginny and the twins. But then I remembered that she wasn't speaking to me. Hermione just stared at me in a surprised expression.

"Why are you smiling? Got good new from You Know Who, have you?" She snapped.

"Hermione, you've known me for 16 years, you know me better than anyone else and you still believe that I would ever go to Voldemort?" My smile had vanished. She looked at me for a second then, crying, leaped up from her bed and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry Jasmine, it's just that, with everything that's going on, I just…" She broke off and started pacing about the room. "Ginny and I have been speaking, we know that you would never betray your friends, but Harry just wants to know why you…" She broke off again.

"He never told you that I was in that graveyard, did he?" I said and she stopped. "Crouch led me to his office, made me it down on a chair that was actually a portkey. I ended up in the graveyard by the same means as Harry. I was tied to my chair so I couldn't escape. I didn't want to be there, I don't want to be a Death Eater and if it means that Voldemort will kill me in the end, so be it. But I will never betray you." I now started crying again.

"I believe you, Jas. I'm so sorry for doubting you."

When I went to sleep that night, I was over the moon with happiness. Hermione and Ginny believe me. Fred and George made me laugh again. I closed my eyes and slept a long and dreamless sleep for the first time in months…


	16. Chapter 16: Alone No More

Chapter 16: Alone No More

When I woke up the next morning, the sun was just coming up. I got up and stared at the sunrise. It was the start of a new day. I played last night's events over. Had it been a dream? Or were they my friends again? I got dressed and went into the common room. It was deserted. I got out my books and started the huge essay Professor Binns had given us. I'd been working on it for about three hours before Ginny came down. She saw me, smiled, and came over to join me. We spoke for about ten, maybe twenty minutes before Hermione came down. She had just sat down, when Ron, followed by Harry, came down from their dormitory. Ron stormed over as Harry left for breakfast.

"What are you doing here, Hermione?"

"Talking to my friends, what else?" she replied calmly.

"Friend? Ginny, maybe, but since when as _she_ been your friend?"

"Jas has been my friend for 16 years, Ron, you know that." She replied not so calmly.

"Not recently she hasn't. Hermione, she's a Death Eater!" Ron was not trying to keep his voice down and soon everyone who hadn't already left for breakfast was staring at the argument.

"You have no proof!" Hermione and Ginny had both shouted at exactly the same moment. Ron opened his mouth to say something, when I stood up.

"He has proof that I am classed as a Death Eater. That is true. But the question is, really, do I belong to that class of wizards? Would I ever betray Harry or anyone for that matter? Think, Ron. You know me. If the Mark hadn't appeared, would you be saying this?" He just stared at me and his eyes darted to my left arm. He opened and closed his mouth three times, looking like a fish in the process, then stormed out.

"Let's go to breakfast," Hermione suggested after a pause. We left the common room. Just as I was about to walk down the stairs, something hard rammed straight into my back and I literally flew all the way down the first flight if stairs. Looking up, I saw Neville staring at me with a panicked look on his face. He ran down towards me with Hermione and Ginny following closely.

"Jasmine, I'm so sorry, I tripped as I cam out of the portrait hole, I didn't mean to – Are you alright?" He asked, panic stricken. I got up feeling bruised all over, but otherwise, unhurt.

"I'm fine, Neville; just a bit stiff." I replied, smiling. Then a thought occured to me. "Hang on, why are you apologising? Don't you think I'm a treacherous old fart, or something?" Neville blushed, slightly, as if he was embarrassed. But then, he looked straight at me and said:

"No. I know you would never do something like that."

"Strange how you never defended her before now, Neville" Ginny pointed out quite harshly.

"I don't blame him. He probably didn't want to give Malfoy another excuse to bully him." I smiled at Neville. "Don't worry about me, I'll survive." Neville smiled back, and all four of us made our way down the stairs for breakfast.

Once we entered the Great Hall, Ron called to Hermione to join them, which she didn't do, and it surprised me a great deal.

"Hermione, you an go sit with them, I'll be alright." I reassured her. She just looked at me.

"No, Jas. I've been horrible to you these pasts few days and I want to make it up to you. Ginny, are you going to go with your friends or are you going to sit with us?"

"I'll stay with you. I told you, Jas; it's time I paid you back for sticking to me in my first and second year." They all smiled at me and I felt a wave of gratitude. I had friends again.

A few weeks passed and Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George and Neville still stood by me, as they had promised, though Hermione had to alternate between Harry and Ron, and me. I didn't mind, because I didn't want to ruin her life.

A week before the next Hogsmeade visit, Hermione spoke to me about one of her ideas.

"Jas, would you be interested in a real Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson?"

"I would love one, we haven't had one for ages. But with Umbridge here, it won't be possible, would it? I mean, what teacher would help us?"

"Yes, alright, but what if we made a little group of our own, with another student as a teacher?" Her eyes were shinning.

"Who did you have in mind?" I was intrigued.

"Well, someone who has had to deal with this sort of thing before, someone who-"

"You mean Harry." My spirits dropped dramatically. "I'd love to, I really would, Hermione, but Harry hasn't spoken to me since he saw me in St. Mungo's, remember?"

"Yes, well, what if he didn't know you were coming? Please, just come to the first briefing. It's in Hogsmeade, in the Hog's Head." Her look was so pleading that I had to give in.

"Alright, Hermione, alright. I'll go." And that was that. I'd promised and I was regretting it immediately.


	17. Chapter 17: The Hog's Head

**I'm trying to post everyday, seeing as for ages, I didn't put anything up. I hope you like the story, any reviews are welcome, of course! :)**

**Also, only the Burnett family and Felicia Granger belong to my imagination, the rest is J.K.'s.**

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Chapter 17: The Hog's Head

As I had promised Hermione to come to the briefing, I couldn't get out of it. She had been so kind, so I felt I had to repay her, somehow. This was, in a way, the worst way to pay her back for her kindness because it would probably result in another argument between someone present and myself. I sighed and went into Zonko's to look around for a bit. I found that it was too crowded, so I left. It was chilly outside, so I walked down to where the Hog's Head would be. The meeting wasn't for another twenty minutes, but I wanted to find it first, so I was sure. Once located, I headed off to the shrieking shack. I sat down near the fence and stared. Just two years back, we had been in that shack, trying to help Sirius escape, trying to prove he wasn't a Death Eater. Why didn't Harry believe me? Why couldn't he just listen? Tired of waiting, I stood up and headed to the pub. I arrived just after Ron, Hermione and Harry had, as their butterbeers weren't open yet. Hermione saw me, got up and ran to me, hugging me with such force I thought I would be crushed.

"You came!" She said, eyes glinting with joy.

"Of course, I promised, remember?" I winked at her. I ordered a butterbeer and went to sit with them, but, just as I was about to sit down, Harry stood up, wand in hand, and advanced.

"Get out." He snarled at me, wand raised. Hermione stood between him and me with a look of deep concern.

"Please, Harry. Stop."

"Get out of the way, Hermione. She was sent to Hogwarts to gain my trust and help kill me. She's on Voldemort's side!"

"No, she's not." Hermione was shaking with anger now. "No she is not. She didn't choose to be your friend, did you? You saved her from the troll. We wouldn't be your friends if –"

"She's not my friend!" He snarled at me.

"Harry, please! I've already lost one sister, don't make me lose another!" She was positively crying now. I stared. So did everybody in the pub.

"What do you mean: 'lose another sister'?" Ron asked, confused. "I thought you were an only child." Hermione was sobbing too hard to speak, so she turned to me.

"When we were eight years old, Felicia, Hermione's younger sister, was six. We were at the tube, waiting for a train, when a madman shot at a policeman, and…" I took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears from falling. "Well, she died before the paramedics arrived." I hesitated, and then added "We both took some part of her personality and added it to ours. Believe it or not, Hermione didn't always used to study so much, that was always Felicia, and I kept playing guitar in her memory, though Hermione hasn't touched a piano since."

"You play guitar?" Asked Ron, seemingly impressed.

"Yeah." I looked at Harry. "I would never hurt anyone, Harry. Can you just give me a chance?" He looked at me, then at Hermione.

"One chance. But if you try anything –" Hermione didn't give him a chance to finish as she flung her arms around his neck.

"Oh, thank you!" She sobbed. After a few moments, we sat down.

"When were they supposed to come?" Harry asked Hermione, who had stopped crying by now.

"They were supposed to -. Ah, here they come." About twenty students walked into the pub with Fred, George and Lee Jordan flanking the rear.

As I walked through the village afterwards, I looked back towards the pub. The other three were just leaving and I smiled at how happy they all looked. Then sighed. I wished I were still part of that. Smiling once more, I walked back to the castle.

_Today couldn't have gone much better_, I thought to myself, as I entered the Great Hall for dinner. Little did I know I had thought too soon.

"Hey, Burnett!" Yelled Malfoy. I turned round and regretted it. Bits of food were whizzing at me from the Slytherin table. I ducked, but they all followed and I started getting beaten from all sides by bits of steak, mash potato and much more that I didn't want to think about. Everyone in the Great Hall was finding the scene hilarious and all I could hear was laughter. Then, the food stopped hitting me. It was so sudden, that I stood there crouching for a moment before looking up. Just as I raised my eyes to look above me, I quickly recoiled back into my crouching position before being drenched by the cauldron of soup. I yelled as hot liquid spilled all over my body. Humiliated and in pain, stormed out of the Great Hall, out of the Entrance Hall and into the grounds. I ran for the Forest, not caring, for the first time, if I got killed. I ran straight into the trees and into the blackness beyond.

I stayed out there the whole night. I heard teachers calling my name, I even heard Hermione, but I stayed where I was. I had cleaned myself off as best I could with a spell, so I didn't have soup on me to attract the ants.

"Accio guitar" I whispered between sobbs. It was night now, so nobody should see the guitar. Just in case they had, and followed it, I moved as soon as it had come. I went a bit deeper into the forest and began to play. I thought first of Felicia, she was always what I thought of when I played, then my mind wandered to Hermione, Ron, Harry. Not one person in the entire hall, not even the teachers, had tried to stop what had happened. Hot tears fell as I played. I didn't sleep that night, but played all the way through. I could've sworn centaurs were near at times, but I didn't care, in fact I hoped they would kill me. When the sun rose, I finished the song I was playing and returned to the castle. I met no one, not even Peeves, as I made my way to bed. I put my guitar away and went back down to the common room. Looking around, I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione's bags around the fireplace. It looked like they'd left in a hurry. Shrugging, I left the common room in direction of the kitchens. I didn't want to eat in the Great Hall, anymore. I considered not going to class, but maybe that would be a bit much.

The House Elves looked delighted to see me, and Dobby agreed to me eating meals in the kitchens instead of the Hall with so much enthusiasm that he nearly knocked the tea cosy off his head. I made a mental note of giving him a pair of my brothers socks that I had packed by mistake, I'm sure he wouldn't mind…


	18. Chapter 18: Remember?

Chapter 18: Remember?

As I went into Defence Against the Dark Arts, Umbridge called me to her desk.

"Miss Burnett, you missed your lesson last night." She looked at me as if I were a child.

"Sorry, Professor, I wasn't feeling up to it, and, -"

"Up to it? But, dear, these lessons are to help you. You will therefore come to my office at 5 o'clock this evening and stay until 9 o'clock as a punishment. You must understand, these lessons are to help you, you are ill," she stared at me, as if I had brain damage. Hang on, that's exactly what she thought!

"Yes Professor," I answered through gritted teeth. I had given up arguing. My right hand clenched so that the scars the words 'I must not believe lies' were clearly visible.

At 9 o'clock in the evening, I left Umbridge's office, my hand burning. The cuts in my skin seemed to be permanent. _Great_, I thought, sarcastically, _now I'll always be reminded not to believe in lies, a little souvenir from such a great teacher. _I stormed into the common room.

"Hey, Jasmine?" Ginny asked tentively.

"What?" I snapped, then, seeing the look on her face, "sorry, what?"

"Ron says you play guitar. Could you show us?"

"Uh," I said, taken aback.

"Please?"

"Sure. I'll go get my guitar."

"No need!" Said Lavender, excitedly. She pointed to the corner where my guitar stood, the flames dancing in the reflection of the polished surface. I picked it up and sat down.

"What do you want? Something upbeat or slow?"

"Happy and upbeat, definitely." Ginny said. I nodded and thought. An old song came to mind. It was an old song Hermione, Felicia and I used to sing.

I began to play it. Hermione, I saw, smiled a faint, far away smile, remembering, I think, the last time she had heard the song. It had been the day before Felicia had got shot. I thought that maybe Hermione would sing her part of the song, but then remembered that she hadn't listened to music, let alone sung, since Felicia's death.

As I got to the last chorus, to everyone's astonishment, Hermione joined in and sang her harmony that Felicia had worked out. Her eyes were closed, remembering that last performance. As the song ended, everyone burst into applause.

"Another one, another one!" Pleaded Parvati.

"Will you join me for this one, Hermione? I mean, properly." She smiled, nodded, and came to sit next to.

"Now, which song would you like?"

It was late in the evening when the Gryffindors had finally let Hermione and me stop. Even though everybody had left to go to bed, Hermione and I were still sitting by the fire in silence. She hadn't spoken since we'd stopped singing.

"Remember the first time Felicia sang?" Hermione asked. My stomach tightened; this was the first time I'd heard her speak her sister's name since, well, that day.

"Yeah, we were trying to learn your parents' favourite song on the piano. She started to sing with us."

"Yeah, 'Eternal Flame'. You know my parents didn't play that song for a whole year. They took it off the playlist at the dentist's office." I smiled.

"I don't blame them. Remember when I bought my guitar and I showed her a few chords and by the end of the day it looked like she'd been playing her whole life?"

"And the piano! By her second lesson, she was better than me, and I'd been playing for two years." A silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. It's just, I miss her so much."

"Me too, Hermione. Me too."

"It's true, you know? What you said in the Hog's Head. We did split her personality in two and merged it to ours. I became a bookworm and you continued on the path of music." She sighed. "I miss singing."

"Well, Hermione, maybe we can do some more of it during the holidays. Or the next Hogsmeade visit." She smiled and nodded. We sat in silence for a few minutes before going to bed.

I closed my eyes, and dreamt.

"_My eternal flame!" Finished Felicia. _

"_Well done, sweetheart!" said Mrs Granger._

"_Thanks Mum." She gave her a hug. "Pick up your guitar, Jas. And, sis, would you mind going on the piano? We can show them the song we're working on."_

"_Yes!" Eight-year old Hermione shrieked. She ran over to where the piano stood._

"_On the count of three. One, two, three."_

"_If the sky isn't blue tomorrow,_

_I'll know it's because you're not there…"_


	19. Chapter 19: Truth or Dare

Chapter 19: Truth or Dare

"Right, now, that was a great lesson everyone!" Said Harry, after our fourth DA meeting. "See you all next time."

"Wait," I said, standing up next to Harry who looked at me with a careful expression, a look he always took when looking at me as if scared I'll curse him, though I didn't blame him. Everyone was staring at me now and I felt a little nervous. "Hermione and I have had an idea. We were trying to find ways to communicate the dates of the DA meetings because, honestly, loads of people from different houses coming to speak with Harry and Hermione, not very discreet." A soft murmur of agreement was heard between the 26 students in front of me. "So, Hermione and I thought of this." And I pulled out a fake Galleon from my pocket. "It's not a real Galleon," I explained, seeing Ron's eyes widen, "The numerals on the side display the date and time of the next meeting instead of the number of the Goblin who forged it."

"Harry's Galleon differs from ours in one simple way," Hermione cut in, standing next to me, "he can change the date and time on his and everyone else's will change also."

"How come?" Harry asked.

"Simple," I said, smiling despite myself, "I cast a Protian Charm on it. It was Hermione's idea, but I'm the one who found time to cast it," I explained, answering Harry's questioning look to Hermione.

"How come you two aren't in Ravenclaw?" Asked a Ravenclaw. Hermione and I looked taken aback. We looked at each other.

"Well, the hat did say Ravenclaw at first, but then settled on Gryffindor." Answered Hermione.

"And you?" Asked another Ravenclaw boy, but he then added, "How come you didn't get put into Slytherin?" Silence fell upon the chamber.

"The Sorting Hat said Slytherin, but I refused."

"To get closer to Harry?" he accused.

"No. I didn't know what I was then. I chose not to be in Slytherin because I'm not an evil person. But, to answer your original question," I looked at the first boy who'd asked, "the hat said Gryffindor, after seriously considering Ravenclaw."

"How did you manage the charm? That's N.E.W.T. standard."

"Yes, well, it's amazing how much your grades can improve when you don't have friends," I said. An uncomfortable silence fell about the room. Since the meeting in the Hog's Head, I'd been spending my free time in either the kitchen eating and speaking to Dobby, or in the library. My grades and class performance now rivalled Hermione's.

"Hum," Hermione said, clearing her throat, "everyone take a Galleon and try not to spend it."

"Jasmine, why did you say you didn't have any friends?" It was Ginny who had asked the question and it pulled me from my reverie. I was sitting in the common room in front of the fire.

"Because, since the beginning of the year, I haven't had any. Sure," I cut in, before Ginny could interrupt, "you've tried to be there for me Gin, but you have your own friends and a boyfriend. I hardly see you. Also, as I don't eat in the Great Hall anymore… And Hermione's been busy with the DA, the closest I've had to a friend is silence."

"Come and join us." She said softly. I looked over at where she had come from. Hermione was reading, as usual, Neville was telling a very bored Lavender and Parvati about his mimbulous mimbletonia and Ron and Harry were playing wizard chess, Harry still not willing to accept an inevitable defeat.

"Gin, that's sweet, but-"

"Great! Come on then. Hey," She said rejoining the group, "Jasmine's going to join us for a session of truth or dare!" I sighed and smiled. She reminded me, in a way, of Felicia. The same stubbornness as Hermione, the same kind heart… I shook my head before I started day dreaming again and joined them.

"Ok, Jasmine. Truth or Dare?" Ginny's eyes twinkled evilly.

"Oh, come on, Hermione already asked me three turns ago and my cheek still hurts from the dare!" Hermione giggled. She'd made me go up to a random girl and tell her that a boy was looking for her outside the portrait hole. This was all very funny, until she returned into the common room and slapped me because I'd made fun of her.

"Jas, truth or dare?"

"Truth, I don't trust Weasleys with dares." I winked at Ron, who grinned. His dare to Harry had been quite devilish indeed.

"Ok, let's see… Have you ever… had a crush on Harry?" She grinned an evil toothy grin. I just looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Seriously. Ginny? That's your truth?"

"Just hurry up and answer!" squealed Lavender, impatient to hear what I had to say on the subject.

"Any girl who hasn't had a crush on Harry is not in their right mind." I stated.

"So you have!" Squealed Parvati, overjoyed. I shrugged.

"Of course. Every girl has."

"Like who?" asked Ron.

"Well, there's me, Ginny," she blushed so deeply, you could no longer see a hair line, "the Patil twins, -"

"What? No!"

"- Lavender,-"

"Never!"

"- all the first, second, third and fourth years below us and sixth and seventh years above and, there's someone else, oh, yeah, Hermione."

"Hermione? Have a crush on Harry?" shrieked Parvati, "Since when?"

"Oh, that was ages ago," She cringed.

"It was during our first and our second year. Well, until she got pertrified." I was enjoying this.

"Really? What made you get over it?' Asked Lavender. "What about what Skeeter wrote last year?"

"Oh please, the day that Skeeter woman writes the truth will be the day I marry Dumbledore!" said Hermione. We laughed. "No, I just got over that… admiration… because we were friends."

"Pff, admiration my arse, he's all you could talk about!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, you can talk, Jas, when did you get over him?"

"Euh, I am right here, you know?" said Harry, shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Yes, don't worry dear, we know," I said, teasingly. I caught Ginny's eye and we both grinned broadly.

"So, Jas, when did you get over your little 'admiration'?" teased Lavender. Obviously, there would be talk tomorrow, but I didn't care.

"Oh, euh… Hard to say…" I thought. "I know I like him in my first and second year, definitely. Then, I think I stopped liking him in that way around Christmas of our third year."

"Why, what happened? Got bored of him?" asked Neville.

"No, someone else just caught my eye. Which is actually Hermione's reason as well, though she won't admit it." I nudged her playfully.

"Who caught your eye?" Asked Parvati and Lavender.

"You know that boy Thomas Faulkner, from Ravenclaw?"

"Ooh! Yes, you went to the Yule Ball with him!"

"Yep, well, that's him!" I said, shrugging. "We went out from end of our third year 'till May of our fourth. Don't ask me why we broke up," I said before the two girls could interrupt, "because we just grew apart. That's it."

"But-" Ginny started, but I interrupted,

"So, Ron, Truth or Dare?" I asked.

"Euh… I took a dare last time, so truth."

"You're going to regret that," I said with a very evil grin upon my face. Ron gulped.

After a few more rounds, we broke off, one by one. Parvati and Lavender were the first to go, followed by Neville, until it was just me and Harry sitting in the common room.

"Jasmine?" He asked.

"Mmh?" I answered, half asleep.

"Nice to have you back." And, with that, he too, went to bed. I smiled after him.

_It's nice to be back_, I thought, as I went off for a good night's sleep.


	20. Chapter 20: A Not So Merry Christmas

Chapter 20: Not Such a Merry Christmas

The weeks after the game were full of rumours involving Harry and mine's 'secret relationship' and I had explained time & again to Cho, who seemed desperate to know if Harry was taken or not, that they were just rumours after a Truth or Dare game.

Harry, Hermione and I were sitting in a horseless carriage going to the station. Well, not horseless carriages, seeing as thestrals were pulling them, but I couldn't see them, so, they were horseless to me.

"So, what are you doing this Christmas?" Hermione asked me.

"Spending it with Claire" I answered, grudgingly.

"Your mum?" Spluttered Harry, "But I thought you hadn't spoken to her since, well, after, you know…" He trailed off.

"Yeah, I haven't spoken to her since St Mungo's. My dad and my brother Steve will be there, so I guess it won't be so bad. Speaking of St Mungo's, how's ? And Ron and Ginny and the rest?" Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"We're going to see them in St. Mungo's. Would you like to come?" Hermione piped up.

"I'd love to, but my dad doesn't want me going anywhere until Claire and I have talked things through, though there's nothing to say."

"By the way," asked Harry after a pause, "why are you a witch and you're brother isn't? I'm asking 'cause your dad's a squib and I was wondering of a squib's child could be a witch or wizard."

"It was a miracle, actually, because my dad doesn't have magic. I don't really know, I guess it works in the same way as muggle borns."

We got on the train, Hermione disappearing off to fulfil her prefect duties, and spoke of everything and anything. Luna and Neville kept us company on the trip after Hermione had left.

We finally arrived at the station.

"Bye, Harry, Hermione. Have a great Christmas." I hugged them both. "And don't forget to give the Weasleys my presents!"

"I won't," Harry promised.

"Merry Christmas, I'll try and send an owl, but I might be too busy skiing." She winked and left.

"Jasmine! Jasmine! Over here!" I turned and smiled. Steve was pelting his way towards me, a huge grin on his face. "How are you, Jas?" He asked.

"I'm much better, thanks. And you?" He scowled.

"Mum and Dad have been arguing constantly since, well, you were found… I'm glad you were found, mind you," he added quickly, "but I just wish you didn't have that thing on your arm."

"You're not alone in wishing that, my brother. You're not alone…" We smiled and made our way home.

"There is nothing to discuss! You let him brand me like cattle!" I shrieked.

"I didn't understand what was going on!" Claire shrieked back. This had been going on for three days now, only to stop for Christmas day. I still wasn't convinced. As far as I was concerned, she was no longer my mother.

"I've had enough of you and you're excuses," I yelled and, with that, I stormed into my room. After a few minutes had gone by, Steve entered.

"How are you holding up?" I grunted in response, my throat sore. "Listen, I know why you're so mad, but could-" He never finished his sentence. A high-pitched shriek was coming from the lounge, as well as the sound of windows breaking. I grabbed my wand.

"Stay here," I told Steve and I ran own stairs to the source of the commotion. There, I stopped and felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been sloshed over me. Four or five Death Eaters were there and two of them were holding my parents.

"What the-" Started Steve, but a third grabbed him, as well.

"No!" I raised my wand only to have it fly out of my hand. I looked round to see who had disarmed me when another figurative ice-cold bucket of water was sloshed over me once more. Lord Voldemort was standing right behind me, blocking my escape. Dread washed over me. He'd come to kill me.

"I believe we meet once more, Claire Burnett." He said coolly. "Last time we met, you promised me your daughter here would accomplish a mission and failure to do so would result in your death. She has not completed her mission. And I have tried to give her a second chance. I would have given you more time, but you see, you never even told her about our little agreement. _Crucio_!" Claire shrieked. I was powerless. I could do absolutely nothing. "And now, you will give your end of the deal," he snarled, still speaking to Claire who had been released from the Death Eater's grasp. She was cowering on the floor. The Death Eater who had held her now held me. I could tell it was a woman, but that was all I knew, as I was hipnotized by the scene unrolling before my eyes. "Take the two men away, I will deal with them later."

"No!" I yelled, trying to break free, but I hadn't noticed a knife that had been held up to my neck. I yelled in pain as the blade cut through my throat. The Death Eaters holding the two boys disapparated.

"As for you, Claire," he snarled, advancing, "face your daughter one more time." The Death Eater behind me sniggered.

"Yes, see what you have done!" Cackled the witch.

"Calm yourself, dear Bellatrix," he said, smiling evilly. He levitated my mother until our faces were just inches apart.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"As am I," I whimpered.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

"No!" I yelled once more, fighting again the knife that just cut deeper into my flesh. I saw the life leave my mother's eyes. I was awake enough only to hear the laughter of Voldemort and the witch named Bellatrix laugh cruelly at the hurt and emptiness I felt. I must have blacked out, because I remember nothing more…


	21. Chapter 21: Back to St Mungo's

**Sorry, I had a little problem with word and I've been busy, but I hope now to upload day to day, like I was doing before.**

**Disclaimer etc... I don't own HP etc... but I own Jasmine and her family and Felicia. Well, anyway, read on...**

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Chapter 21: Back to St. Mungo's

I could hear voices. At first, they were far away. But then, they were close.

"Mum?" I tried to say, but only a very faint whisper came out. I tried to move, but I couldn't. Starting to panic, I wriggled but felt pain rush through my body as if it were on fire. I didn't care where I was or who was there, I screamed and opened my eyes. I was blinded for a moment by the bright lights hanging above my head, but I then realised that I was back in the hospital. Back to St Mungo's. I could see red blobs around my bed and a black blob, and a brown blob. When my eyes started to focus, I realised that it was Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's that surrounded my bed. As soon as she saw my eyes open, Hermione flung her arms around my neck and started to sob. I yelled in pain as she hugged me and she let go instantly.

"I'm so sorry, Jas. I didn't mean - where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere", I answered truthfully. My whole body was in agony whenever I moved even an inch.

"Well, that's what happens when you pass out in the snow." Said a Healer. "I must ask you, now that you are awake, were you tortured in the last 3 days?" I stared at him, confused. I suddenly wondered why I was in St. Mungo's to begin with. Then, it hit me; Boxing day. I sat bolt upright in my bed, ignoring the pain, and jumped out.

"Jasmine, get back to bed this instant!" yelled Mrs. Weasley.

"No, Voldemort has my brother and my father, I have to find them, I have to..." I broke off from pain as two or three healers pushed me back onto the bed. I shrieked in agony once more, but stayed on the bed. I was crying so hard. My mother was dead. Once again, I saw the green flash of light and the life leave my mother's eyes.

"Jas?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"She's dead. She's dead. Voldemort killed her... She's dead..." I managed between sobs.

"Who's dead, Jas?" Hermione asked softly, but I was crying too hard to speak.

"Maybe, you should come back with us." Mrs Weasley said, softly.

A few days later, I was walking in number twelve Grimmauld Place.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Headquarters of the Order of the Pheonix." Whispered Mrs Weasley. "Follow me." And she beckoned me towards a door. We went down to a kitchen where Sirius Black was sitting, talking to Mr Weasley.

"Sirius! Mr Weasley! How are you?" I hugged them stiffly as I was still stiff from passing out in the snow.

"So, this is where you guys have been passing your holidays, huh?" I asked Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny once we were upstairs in the room.

"Yeah." They said shortly. Something was bothering them. I had ignored it at first, thinking that it was because of Mr Weasley's condition, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Listen, will one of you please tell me what's wrong!" I said, louder than I had wanted. They just looked at me.

"You being here." Stated Harry, matter-of-factly. My heart sank.

"What happened Boxing day, Jas?" Asked Ron. I swallowed; ever since I'd left St. Mungo's, I had refused to speak of it. I got up.

"You know I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, we want to know!" Yelled Ron. *Pop*.

"What's the racket?" Asked one of the twins who'd just apparated.

"Yeah, turn the volume down," said the other.

"Jas is refusing to tell us what happened," I heard Ron say before I stormed out.

They didn't have to wait long before finding out.

_**Burnett Family Murder**_

_Two days after Boxing day, Miss Burnett was found lying flat on the ground of her living room, wand in hand, covered in snow coming from the broken window. A body lay in front of her: that of her mother, Claire Anne Burnett, aged 46. She was killed by the killing curse but the wand who produced the curse is still not found. It is thought that the Death Eaters who had kidnapped the young Jasmine Burnett went to try and kill the girl once more but only managed to knock her out. Her father, David Charles Burnett, aged 48, and her brother Steve Paul Burnett, aged 17, are still missing and presumed dead. The young girl once more survived the attack but ended up in St. Mungo's. Jasmine Charlotte Burnett, age 16, has now been hospitalised twice in the course of six months._

_"We must be careful when handling her, here at Hogwarts," stated Professor Dolores Umbridge, Professor of Defense Against the Darks Arts and High Inquisitor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, "she has a temper, but it is expected from someone who has gone through so much trauma."_

They all looked at me. Hermione had been reading aloud to the whole kitchen but now, all eyes were on me. I stared at my empty bowl of cereal.

"Your mother... She's the one who died?" Gasped Ginny.

"You saw you remoter die?" There was silence after this statement. Tears were threatening to overflow so I just nodded, keeping my head down.

"Im so sorry, Jasmine." Ron apologised awkwardly, "I had no idea..."


	22. Chapter 22: Scars

**Hey, this is a short chapter. I'm going to skip a few months after this, so the next chapter will be when they take their OWLs and when Harry has his vision so you don't have the whole story extremely detailed for every day. :) **

**Read on and don't forget to tell me what you think! :) There's that little review button... :)**

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Chapter 22: Scars

_"I'm sorry..."_

I woke up, gasping. I looked around the dark room. We would be returning to Hogwarts later today on the Night Bus. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 1:30 am. I still had hours before we were leaving, but I couldn't go back to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother, the flash of green light...

_"No!"_

I was trembling all over so I got up as quietly as I could and went to the bathroom. I washed my face in the sink and saw the scars of 'I must not believe lies' scratched on my hand. That woman! I started crying again, thinking of everything my mother had ever done for me, seeing that it wasn't really her fault that I was now classed as Death Eater... But I couldn't tell her that now. She was dead. She would never be there for me, ever again. I had no one left... I gripped the edge of the sink so as not to break down. I would keep fighting with Harry, my friends were my family now. I would defend them with my life, even if I had to give my life in the end for them.

I went back into the bedroom and stood, looking at the sleeping figures of Hermione and Ginny, peacefully sleeping with no worries. For the first time in my life, I wished I had not become a witch. I wished I were an ignorant muggle. I would still have my parents. They had to pay for the path that I chose when I didn't join Voldemort. My mother had brought it upon herself, by letting Voldemort through, but I had insured her death by going against him. But then, if I hadn't, Harry would be dead... No. No one else would die because of me. My family was already gone, I would never join Voldemort now that he took them away from me.

I lay back down on my bed. As I closed my eyes, I thought about Hermione's parents. How they had always been like family to me... I jerked awake. No. Not Hermione's family... No!

_I have to do something!_ I thought as I ran silently downstairs to the kitchen. There, as I suspected, was Sirius and Mrs. Weasley.

"Jasmine? What on earth are you still doing up?" Scolded Mrs. Weasley, I ignored it.

"Please, you have to help me. Voldemort is taking out everyone I love, my family was top on the list. I know they can't do anything to my friends as long as they're at Hogwarts or here, but the Granger family has always been a second family to me and I think he's going to go after them next!" I said hurriedly.

"Jasmine, it's nearly two o'clock in the morning, go get some sleep and we'll -" Started Sirius.

"No! You don't understand! He's going to kill her family! She already lost her sister when she was 8, I don't want her to lose her parents too! And because of me!" *Pop*

"What's all the commotion?" Asked George, smiling. Silence.

"Fred, George, wake Tonks and Kingsley up. We need to set up a guard for Hermione's parents." Sirius said. *Pop*. He then looked at me. "They'll be fine as long as we get to them before Voldemort does."

"But, they won't have to hide away, will they?"

"No, they won't even know we're watching them." He smiled.

"Now, go to bed! And don't tell Hermione, she'll just be worrying over nothing. Don't tell anyone about this. We don't want everyone to know who Voldemort's next targets might be." I nodded to Mrs. Weasley and hugged her and Sirius, thanking them for listening.

As I entered the room, Hermione was awake.

"Oh, there you are." She smiled. "I was wondering where you'd got to."

"I, uh... Just went to the bathroom."

"I was just there," she said with a puzzled look, "and I was alone."

"Yeah, well, I wondered around for a bit." I smiled. "Let's go to bed, I'm tired and we have to leave for Hogwarts later."

As I drifted off to sleep, I could distinctively hear Hermione humming an old song we used to sing. Smiling, I shifted position and slept a nice dreamless sleep.


	23. Chapter 23: OWLs

**Just two more chapters after this and it will be the end of her 5th year! :O How time flies... I can't remember very much of this bit, so I sort of mixed the book and the film... Oh, well, it's fan fiction so I can do pretty much all I want, right? Right? No? Oops...**  
**Anyway, Read on! :D**

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Chapter 23: O.W.L.s

"Hey, Burnett, how's your family?" Taunted Pansy Parkinson. "Oh, wait, that's right, you killed them." I kept my eyes glued to my notes. We were waiting outside the dungeons for our potion O.W.L. to start.

"That's not funny at all." Whispered Hermione, furiously.

"I ought to march right over there, and-"

"Leave it, Ron. They're not worth it." After I'd come back to Hogwarts, there had been talk about how I was going completely mad and I'd murdered my mother and hid my father and brother's bodies somewhere in the backgarden or something.

"Hey, Burnett, how-" Pansy started.

"Shut it, Pansy. Your jokes aren't funny. Losing your family isn't a laughing matter. It's been nearly six months, if you haven't got anything new to say, don't say anything at all." Snapped a boy. I looked up. Draco Malfoy had stood up for me? The boy who'd been terrorising me since my first year? The person who's called me a mudblood before finding out I was a half-blood? The evilest person in the school? I looked at him and caught him staring at me. I nodded thankfully and he acknowledged my thanks with a nod. He then rolled his eyes at Parkinson, as if to say: "She's pathetic" and winked. I smiled, and nodded in reply: "Tell me about it". We smiled at each other and then looked away. I blinked, had I just had a silent, and nice conversation with Draco Malfoy? What was going on? I had little time to dwell on the matter because I now had to concentrate on passing the hardest O.W.L.: Potions.

"That was nearly impossible." Hermione said after we'd finished our Potions O.W.L. exam.

"Actually, I found it pretty simple." All three of them stared at me. "What?"

"Jas, you found that simple?" Hermione asked, awestruck.

"Well, yeah..." I suddenly realised that I, Jasmine Burnett, had found something simple when Hermione Granger had found it difficult. "I mean, since the beginning of the year, I've been working a lot harder and studying a lot more to take my mind off of, well, everything..."

"Jasmine, you might beat Hermione." whispered Ron.

"What? No, of course not. No one can beat Hermione." I laughed.

"Well, now for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ready?" We all nodded.

"I'm sure I got Outstanding, I mean, Umbridge's face when I produced a Patronus!" chuckled Harry. We all laughed. It was lunch, and we had one more O.W.L. before it was all over: History of Magic. The most boring subject in the world. I had done all my exams well, from where I stood, and felt like this next one would be easy. The bell rang and we headed towards the classroom. Little did we know what would happen...

"Quick, let's go see if Harry's alright." Whispered Hermione as Ron and I exited the classroom after her. Harry had collapsed half way through because of his scar. This wasn't looking good. It was Mr. Weasley all over again. We looked left and right and finally saw him sitting alone a few feet away.

"Harry!" I pushed forth. He was so pale.

"He's got Snuffles! He's got him in the Department of Mysteries! I just saw him, Voldemort's torturing him!" He was panicking.

"Harry, we should go to Dumbledore, -"

"No, we don't have time! I have to know if it's true, we have to use the floo network."

Although it seemed like a good plan to begin with, being held in Goyle's grasp watching Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna being held by other students from the squad and Harry staring at Umbridge, I wasn't too sure about it any more. Being caught wasn't part of it.

"You were trying to contact Dumbledore, weren't you?" Umbridge cooed. "Tell me where he is. And I will let you go with a detention instead of expulsion." No one moved. Snape then entered.

"Headmistress, we are out of Veritaserum." He said softly.

"Well, then, we will have to result to other ways. What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him."

"No, you can't, it's illegal!" Yelled Hermione who was held by Crabbe.

"I will do what is right!" She snapped. Harry turned to Snape.

"He's got Padfoot. He's got Padfoot int the place where it's hidden." He said, urgently.

"What's he saying?" Demanded Umbridge. Snape just stared at him.

"No idea." He drawled and left.

"Well, now, Potter. Tell me where he is!" Harry just stared at her. "Fine. Crucio!" She waved her wand.

"No!" I yelled, I got out of Goyle's hold and flung myself between her and Harry. I shrieked in pain as the curse hit me instead. I lay on the floor.

"I told you at the beginning of the year not to meddle in things that don't concern you!" She snapped. Goyle grabbed me and pulled me back up. I was weak again; getting Crucio'd wasn't something you got used to.

"Wait!" Hermione yelled before Umbridge could do anything. "If you won't tell her where Dumbledore's weapon is, I will."

"You led her to Grawp?" I was amazed Hermione had taken that risk. We were running on our way to the Forbidden Forest to the thestrals. I could see them now, since I'd watched my mother's death. They were beautiful in their own way.

"Right, now, Luna, Jasmine, Neville and I will help you, Ron and Ginny onto the thestrals, seeing as you can't see them." They all nodded as Harry gave the order and soon, we were flying past the gates of the school towards London. Hermione, I could see, was gripping hard onto Ron who was in turn gripping to the thestral, although to him it was thin air. We landed in London, undetected, and followed Harry to the visitors entrance. Once inside, I stared at the empty atrium. A beautiful golden fountain was in the centre of it, glistening. We didn't have much time, though, so we set off for the Department of Mysteries...


	24. Chapter 24: Department of Mysteries

**This one's short because I couldn't remember this chapter very well, so I went through it quickly. It's not that important in my story, so, Read on!**

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Chapter 24: The Department of Mysteries.

Once we entered the door, we were surrounded by identical doors in a black circular room.

"What do we do now? Which one is the one we want?" whispered Hermione, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," Harry answered.

"Well, we'll have to find out, won't we?" Ginny said and, bracing herself, walked towards a door. But before she had taken three steps, the wall starting spinning round and round, making everything go blacker than ever without the torches shining brightly. It stopped as suddenly as it had begun, but now, we had no ideas where the exit was.

"Now what?" asked Neville in a panicky voice.

"We try every door until we find the right one." Harry answered in a determined voice. We followed him through a door opposite and into a rectangular room.

We tried more rooms until we found the right one. Then the fight started. I lost track of everyone as I was fighting for my life against Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Hello, Jazzy, how's your family?" She jeered. I was sending all the spells I could think of trying to stay alive. My anger was stronger than my fear of her, a want for revenge burned inside of me. I followed the others into the room with the veil, hearing whispers in the silence. We looked around and were caught. Another fight in which the prophecy Harry was holding broke. Then, Lestrange's voice, her curse hitting Sirius, Sirius stumbling backwards into the veil.

"No!" Yelled Harry. I was still fighting, but all my attention was fixed on Harry and Lupin, who was holding him back. He broke free of his hold and ran after Bellatrix. I followed, knowing that he wanted revenge, and I wasn't about to stop him. I had expected to find him duelling Bellatrix, but instead, she was lying still on the floor with Harry pointing his wand at her.

"You have to mean it, boy!" She jeered. I froze. Voldemort was standing just a few feet away. I remember Dumbledore coming out and a fight between the two great wizards. Harry and I were crouching behind a statue. He suddenly jumped out.

"Where are you going?" I yelled after him but he never answered, his eyes on Bellatrix. I knew what he was about to do and I had to stop him, I had to protect him. I ran in front of him as she shot a spell at us. It hit me square in the chest and I flew backwards, further than the statue.

_This is the second time I've saved him from a curse. At least this one wasn't an Unforgivable one._ I thought as I got up. Bellatrix had gone and Harry was hiding behind the statue once more. I was about to join him, keeping my head down to avoid the spells coming my way when a particularly nasty one hit the statue and sent the tip of the centaur's arrow my way. I didn't have time to get out of the way as it went straight into my stomach. I collapsed in agony, wishing the pain would just stop. I could hear shouts, people were here. I couldn't move, I was in so much pain and I was losing so much blood. I was lying in my own blood and the puddle was growing fast.

My vision was blurring as blood was pouring out the wound.

"Jas? JAS!" A voice screamed my name from far, far away...

Hermione's P.O.V.

We ran into the room that Harry and Jasmine had gone through. I saw Harry next to Dumbledore and the Order with Cornelius Fudge. Dumbledore gave Harry the head of the centaur and he disappeared. It was then that I saw the pool of blood with a body in the middle of it.

"Jas? JAS!" I shrieked and started to run forward. I was held back. She was put on a conjured stretcher. I was crying. No, she couldn't die, I couldn't lose another sister, not like this.

"Hermione, calm down, please..." Ah voice said in my ear, but I wasn't listening... She couldn't die... Please, no...


	25. Chapter 25: The End of the Year

Chapter 25: End of the Year

I opened my eyes, but quickly closed them again, shielding them from the bright light. I moved my head and regretted it. I groaned as pain shot through my body. Screwing my eyes up in pain, I wondered why I was hurting so badly. I vaguely remembered a veil, and Sirius… Oh, Sirius! Falling through the veil, Harry's shrieks of grief. He'd run after Bellatrix and I'd run after him. And – I shuddered – Voldemort had appeared.

"…I knew they'd drag you into this" a very distant voice said. I smiled, recognising the bossy tone. I then opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. I was in the hospital wing. Hermione was to the left of me and, even though my vision was still blurred, I could distinctly see her bushy mane of hair. Harry was sitting at the end of someone's bed, I couldn't see who. I felt weak, as if I'd been drained of all my blood. I closed my eyes again and listened to Hermione and the others, feeling as though this was all I could bring myself to do I felt so weak.

"He's the boy who lived again, not some crazed boy" Ron said darkly.

"Yes, now they're on your side," Hermione sighed. There was a silence.

"Hermione?" Asked Ginny.

"I just wish she'd wake up." She said in a small voice.

"Madam Pomfrey said that there was no way of saying when..." Ginny said gently.

"Yeah, but she also said she may never wake up. She lost so much blood..." She stopped, trying to keep her voice even and with a jolt, I realised she was talking about me.

"She's strong, she'll keep fighting to the very end." Neville reassured her.

"I owe her my life," Harry whispered. "She took Bellatrix's curse, she was flung back, she was then pierced by the arrow... It should've been me!"

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Harry Potter!" I whispered harshly. "Don't you dare! I may be in pain and I may be weak, but don't you dare blame yourself for what happened that day!" Silence, then sobs.

"Oh, Jasmine, you're awake," Hermione sobbed. Ginny came to my bedside.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Weak, confused, tired... But overall, happy. Everyone here survived." I opened my eyes and stared at Ginny. We smiled. Then Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room.

"Ah, you're awake. Good. Drink this," and she handed me a small vial of something. I wanted to take it, but I couldn't move I was so weak. Ginny took it and held my head up for me to drink. It tasted sour, but I was too weak to protest. I drank it all, and Ginny laid my head back down.

"What happened to you guys? Why are you in the hospital wing?" I asked.

"Well, I had a broken ankle, Neville's nose was broken, Harry didn't have anything as he held the prophecy and they didn't want to smash it, though they did in the end, Ron had a weird thing done to him, no one knows what or they won't tell us and got attacked by some brains," I raised my eyebrows but she just shrugged, "and Hermione had some sort of curse in the form of an X put on her. She has to take like ten different potions for a week, but she'll be fine," she added when she saw I looked panicky. "we'll all be fine eventually. You just rest. You lost so much blood." She smiled and stroked my cheek.

"Right, everybody out!" Said Madam Pomfrey, "Miss Burnett, Mister Weasley and Miss Granger all need their rest." Ginny and Neville moaned but Harry left silently. I knew why; he was grieving. He'd lost his only family member who cared; his godfather. And he blamed himself, I knew it. And, in a way, he was right, if he hadn't of gone looking for the prophecy, he'd still be alive. But Sirius knew what he was doing when he went to the ministry. Sirius knew his life was in danger. I sighed and closed my eyes. I would help him get through that feeling, as I'd had that exact same one after my family was taken.

We were going onto the Hogwarts Express, heading once more to the muggle world. I didn't know where I would go. I'd received a letter saying that I would meet my Godmother on the platform. I had no idea who it was, as I wasn't even aware I had one. I was curious, but also worried; I would have to explain why there was an owl, what school I went to etc.. I would have to tell them I was a witch and I didn't know how they would take it. It was silent in our compartment; Harry was staring out the window, Luna was reading the Quibbler upside down again and I was still weak from all the blood I'd lost.

We arrived at the station, got our things down and went through the barrier to platform 9 and 10.

"Right, well, see you during the summer?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"I hope so, depends if my Godmother's nice..." I answered, lost in thought. How would I know it was her?

"I think so, I doubt my Aunt and Uncle will stop me leaving the house a few weeks early." Harry said, trying to smile, but we could all see the pain in his eyes.

"Don't worry, my parents'll let you all stay," Ron said cheerfully, clapping Harry on the back.

"Ok, so, I guess I'll see you guys in a few weeks." I smiled, hugged Hermione, Harry and Ron, and walked towards the exit where we had arranged to meet. She would be wearing a green dress. That was all I knew. I walked out the and stood, waiting. A women who looked very familiar was staring at me. She was standing next to Professor McGonagall and they were deep in conversation. The woman, I now saw, was dressed in a green dress.

"Ah, Miss Burnett, come, come." McGonagall hushed me over.

"Uh, hello Professor" I was a bit taken aback. Who was this woman?

"Miss Burnett, meet Julia Howell. Julia, this is your Goddaughter, Jasmine Burnett." The woman, Julia, looked me up and down with a disapproving look.

"Well, we'll have to clean you up" she sniffed, then forced a smile. "Hello."

"Julia is an old friend of your father."

"I was his first girlfriend and the best friend he could ever have wished for" she sniffed again.

"How come I've never met you before?" I wondered aloud.

"Because you're mother didn't like your father hanging around me because I'm his ex. And because I'm a witch" She stuck her nose in the air. I didn't like the look of her.

"Right, well," Professor McGonagall was obviously feeling out of place. "Have fun and be safe" and she smiled one of her caring, genuine smiles at me before walking away.


	26. Chapter 26: My New Home

Chapter 26: My New Home

Overall, I was not enjoying my summer. I couldn't decide what was worse, the fact that Julia wouldn't let me owl my friends, or go outside, or touch my guitar, or play any music whatsoever. Not having any contact from my part was one thing, but when Ginny invited me round, Julia sent a howler back, saying that if they didn't stop trying to 'steal me away from my rightful guardian', she would call the ministry. I didn't hear from anyone after that. As soon as I'd set foot in her house, she'd looked through my trunk and had taken out everything she didn't 'like the look of', such as my guitar and some of my muggle clothing that she deemed 'too showy'. I'd soon realised that she was old fashioned because she'd taken all of my skirts that went above the ankle - which was all of them. Julia could've been pretty if she'd let her hair out of the bun as it was of a beautiful midnight black, her eyes as blue as the sky and she had a sweet round face, I gathered she couldn't be older than 40. There was a nagging feeling that I knew her from someone, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. In the lounge, there were old moving pictures of her when she was younger, with her family or friends. One that caught my eye was with my dad. I felt a pang of guilt seeing his face, wondering if he was alive or not. If he was, was Steve with him?

I'd been there a month and I'd already finished my homework and learned all my old textbooks by heart. I read 'Hogwarts, A History' about three or four times. I wanted my other books, my muggle ones, I wanted to play my guitar, I wanted to sing. Really, all I wanted was to be free. I knew how Harry felt; I was forced to do the housework, I wasn't allowed out of the house, no one here cared for me, and I was nearly cut off from my world, the one where I belonged, the ones with my friends. Julia was a witch and she had magic, but never used it, only to repair things. She didn't like muggles too much, that was why I'd never seen her before, because of my mother, but she acted like one most of the time. I very rarely saw her wand. She did everything by hand.

"Jasmine!" Yelled the old crow.

"Yes?" I yelled back from my bedroom. I heard stomping of feet. _What now?_ I thought. My bedroom door burst open. I looked up and stared at the woman, her eyes flashing wildly.

"You..." she was trembling with anger.

"I?"

"Don't you be cheeky with me!" She barked. "You are friends with Harry Potter?"

"Well, yeah..." I was confused. What on earth was going on?

"That boy is evil!" She was yelling so loud that I had to cover my ears.

"No he's not" I was so confused, I thought that we'd convinced everyone that he wasn't mad.

"Yes he is, he defeated the Dark Lord!" Silence.

"What?" I whispered.

"You heard me. The Dark Lord, he defeated him! He isn't worthy of becoming a wizard, no Death Eater should befriend an enemy of Lord Voldemort!" My anger flared up inside me.

"I am not a Death Eater! I will never be a Death Eater! Harry is a hero and I am honoured to be his friend!" Then I froze. "Hang on, why do you care?" Then it hit me. I'd seen her before. When I was captured by Voldemort, last summer, she had been one of the Death Eaters who'd taunted me whenI was being tortured. She had been one of the worst Death Eaters. She'd tortured me herself.

"Yes, you should've realised who I was." Her eyes were flashing dangerously. "Why do you think your father didn't want me around? He'd made me your Godmother before I officially became a Death Eater." My head was spinning. No, this was not happening.

"Why do you want me here?" I asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Why do you think?" Suddenly, there was a *Pop* from downstairs. She smiled evilly. I stared at her, wishing I was of age and able to do magic. Footsteps on the stairs and a voice.

"Julia, we are ready. We are waiting for you." Rookwood said as he stepped through the door.

"I'll be down in a moment." She then turned to face me. "Now, you will stay here until I return. No, wait," she had an evil glint in her eye, this was the happiest I'd ever seen her, "come with us." She dragged me downstairs and forced me into the chimney with her and we were squeezed through chimneys until we reached our destination.

I was in a huge room. A chandelier hung over an expensive carpet and a circle of people seemed to be waiting for us. Right opposite the chimney, was Voldemort. Kneeling in front of him was none other than Draco Malfoy. I didn't dare speak for fear. What was happening? His mother was sobbing to my right, whispering incoherent words.

"Ah, Julia, you have returned. I see you have brought your friend." He glared at me and I glared back. I had to get out of here.

"Please, not my boy, not my boy," sobbed Narcissa Malfoy.

"Silence, Cissy! This is an honour!" Bellatrix told her rather aggressively. I could tell that Draco was shaking. Was it fear? Suddenly I realised that Julia was watching the scene before her with so much interest, as was everyone else, that she had let go of my arm. My brain whurred, thinking of how to sneak out undetected. I slowly took the wand from her robe pocket and, very slowly, inched towards the fireplace from which we had come. Floo Powder was sitting next to it. I had no idea what was going on, and I was curious, but I had already been tortured last year and I wasn't too enthusiastic at the idea of it restarting this year.

_This was too easy,_ I thought, but continued packing everything that Julia had taken from me. I'd found my wand and packed everything on the double. I was just out the door when I heard her.

"Jasmine!"

I stuck out my wand and the Night Bus arrived. I hopped on so fast, Stan was taken aback. My suitcase and owl were stored onboard as fast.

"Where are you going?" Asked Stan.

"Ottery St. Catchpole" I answered. I paid my fair and sat down on one of the beds. Julia would declare me a runaway but, honestly, I didn't care. My left arm was itching quite badly and for the first time in my life, I was worried about Draco Malfoy...


	27. Chapter 27: Runaway

Chapter 27: Runaway

"She was a Death Eater? But, she wasn't in the graveyard, Harry didn't mention anyone called 'Howell'!" Hermione looked terrified. I was sitting in Ginny's room at 11 o'clock at night. I'd appeared, sopping wet because of the rain, on the Weasley's porch only five minutes ago. Mrs. Weasley had taken me in and, once I'd explained that Julia'd let me go after all, but I had to make it here with my own means, she let me go with some soup. Hermione and Ginny, however, knew that I'd lied and demanded I tell them the whole story.

"That's because 'Howell' isn't her real family name, it's her old maiden name. She was married, but she kept her husband's name after he died. Her name is Knott, she's Theodor Knott's aunt." Their mouths were open. I suddenly realised I had two wands in my pocket and remembered I'd stolen Julia's.

"Well, now we have a spare wand." I stored it in my trunk.

"Jasmine, I know that this may sound a bit, well, strange, but we've been meaning to say, since Harry did his interview with the Quibbler." Ginny was nervous, I could tell. "Anyway, maybe it is time you talked about last summer as well."

"Ginny, I don't know..." I wasn't ready to face up to it just yet.

"It'll do you some good Jas, remember that Harry said it did." Hermione and Ginny were looking at me with eyes that showed nothing but concern. Just then, Ron burst in.

"Mum said Jasmine was here!" He then saw me sitting on the desk chair. "Jas!" He came up to me and we hugged. "I thought your Godmother didn't want you to come!"

"She doesn't, she doesn't know I'm here, but she knows I've run away." I explained that she was on Voldemort's side and his face fell so quickly and he leaped from the room. When he returned, he explained,

"Dad knew You-Know-Who would try to get you again. You should've told them! Don't worry, I just have." I felt so stupid; why hadn't I told them? Right there was one less Death Eater.

"Jas was just about to tell us what happened last summer and this summer." All three of them stared at me.

"Fine." I sighed. "After Harry'd left with the portkey last summer, I was left in the graveyard. After torturing me abit there, they shoved me in a cellar. There were no windows and only one door. And even if I'd wanted to try and escape, my leg was injured and they'd taken my wand. So, anyway, for days and days I was fed on bread and water brought to me by this Death Eater. She wasn't like the others, she was sweet and kind. I never knew her name, though, and I didn't see her face, but she sounded familiar. She mopped the blood up and healed my wound. She kept saying that she had a kid about my age and she wished I wasn't here. She was the only one who was kind to me. And I never asked her name... Anyway, after two months, they let me go, as you know. We apparated, I think, I'm not quite sure, maybe I was unconscious at that point. Anyway, I woke up in the middle of a London alleyway with my wand in my hand. I didn't know where I was and I was found.

"Then, this summer, well, there isn't much to tell..." I told them everything about that summer but I left one thing out: Malfoy. I had a feeling it wasn't something I should discuss, so I just told them I stole her wand while she was sleeping. The three of them swallowed every word I said without asking questions.

"You poor thing," Hermione hugged me. Ron and Ginny were speechless. "You are so strong to have survived all that." She had tears in her eyes. I shrugged.

"I sort of got used to find myself where I shouldn't be and ending up in a hospital bed," Hermione and Ron gave shaky laughs, remembering all the times we'd ended up in the hospital wing after one of our adventures. "But, yeah, that was the worst thing I've ever experienced. But, at Christmas, when," I gulped, fighting to keep my voice steady, "when they took my family, there was a women who held the knife to my throat," I absent-mindedly touched the scar where the blade had sliced through the skin, "Voldemort called her 'Bellatrix'. But, it's not possible, because she broke out in February."

"Maybe she broke out in December or something, but the ministry only reported it when the others broke out, so as not to raise the alarm." Ginny suggested.

We fell into silence, each one of us thinking about loss we've suffered. But I knew that we all thought of Harry at least once in that time. Just then, Mrs. Wealsey burst in.

"What are you still doing up?" she demanded. "Go to bed. Now! Jasmine, you'll be sleeping in Ginny's room, we were going to put you in Fred and George's old room, but, in light of what really happened tonight, you need the company." She smiled affectionately at me and left. We all stared at one another in silence. No one moved until she screamed up the stairs again.

"BED!" And we all went into our respected beds.

"Goodnight." We all whispered once in the dark.

I didn't sleep well that night. Draco's terrified form haunted me throughout.

_"Please, not my girl, not my baby," sobbed my mother. _

_"Silence! This is an honour!" Bellatrix told her rather aggressively. I was kneeling in front of Voldemort, my arm aching, burning as it had done the night of the Quidditch World Cup._

"_An honour you shall uphold. Or else." Voldemort stated in a terrifyingly calm voice. I shivered. I looked at my mother for help, but she wasn't there anymore. Where had she gone. A mirror stood in the corner. I looked round. I was alone. Where was I? Hogwarts? I didn't know. In that mirror, I saw my family, happy and alive._

"_Jas?" Harry said behind me._

"_It's your fault! I wish you had died that Halloween night, I would never be in this position, I would still have my family!" A terrible hatred rose through me towards Harry. I hated him, I always had. I took out my wand._

"_Avada Kadavra!" I shrieked and Harry was blasted backwards. I felt triumphiant, and I started to laugh. A manic, scary, insane laugh. I felt like I would now rest in peace. My wand was now a knife and I lifted it to my chest and was just about to plunge it through my heart, when the world started to shake violently, and I fell…_


	28. Chapter 28: Rufus Scrimgeour

It's been ages, I'm sorry, work has been taking up my time. So, finally, here is chapter 28. This year is where I start to focus more on my character, Jasmine, instead of the story line. My story, from this point forth, starts to branch off of the original.

* * *

Chapter 28: Rufus Scrimgeour

I awoke to birds chirping outside the window. A rooster crowed somewhere in the distance. I smiled, seeing Ginny's form rise and fall in the bed next to mine. I felt at home at the Burrow. The Weasley family was indeed a real family. Not wanting to lay in bed too long, and, judging by the noises coming from the kitchen, someone was up, I got up, got dressed and headed for the kitchen.

As I approched the door, I could hear voices. One voice sent a shiver down my spine: Snape. He was here. The door was ajar and, crouching down, I could listen in without being seen.

"The ministry conducted a search but could not find Jasmine's Godmother anywhere. It seems as though she has disappeared, gone into hiding" said Mr. Weasley.

"I believe she has gone into hiding. But there are more important matters to discuss. As you know, aurors have been placed around the Grangers house after what Burnett told the Order last Christmas" my stomach turned as Snape said these words. "It seems as if her suspicions were right; Death Eaters tried an attack on it last night. No one was injured, however, and the Grangers are aware of nothing. Also-" but Mad Eye Moody cut Snape off.

"Before you continue, I suggest we ask Molly whether she wants Jasmine to hear all of this." He said gruffly. I froze. I hadn't realised Moody was here; he can see through doors. I hadn't thought of that.

"Of course not, she's just a kid."

"Then I suggest we continue this conversation elsewhere." With those words, the door flew open, revealing me to the whole room. Mr and Mrs Weasley stared, Snape glared and Moody had is back to me.

"Uh, hello." I tented, getting up. "Good morning."

"How much did you hear?" Asked Mrs Weasley.

"She only heard about the Granger house and about her Godmother. Those two subjects concern her, so she would have found out eventually."

"Go back upstairs, dear. I'll call you down in about an hour for breakfast." Said Mrs Weasley who looked put out. I ran upstairs, my mind racing; I had been right, Voldemort tried to kill Hermione's family.

When I arrived back in my room, Ginny was stroking a snowy white owl.

"Hey, did you get some post from Harry?" I asked, eyebrows raised and a grin on my face. I knew very well that Ginny had a soft spot for Harry.

"No," she answered with a smile, and I could have sworn she went a bit pink. "I saw her flying around."

"You saw her… Hang on, what's Hedwig doing here if she hasn't got any mail to deliver?"

"He's here!" She whispered with a huge smile. We ran out and up the stairs to Ron's room. We burst in, scaring Ron out of bed.

"Where is he?" I asked, looking around. No extra bed was in the room, there wasn't even space for one.

"I'm right here." Grumbled Ron, getting up.

"Not you, Harry." Said Ginny. Just then, Hermione ran in.

"Harry's in Fred & George's old room, come on!" We stormed back out, Ron coming a short while later fully dressed as opposed to in his maroon pyjamas.

Once back in the kitchen, Hermione started pacing up and down the room, waiting for the post to arrive with our exam results.

"There!" shreiked Hermione. "The owls!"

"The owls that have our O.W.L.s" I joked. Hermione shot me a murderous look and went back to staring out the window, monitoring the owls trajectory.

"What did you get?" asked Harry once we had received our letters. I was staring at my results. There had to be a mistake. "Jas?"

"I got all Outstanding." I whispered. Hermione's head shot up.

"You got an Outstanding more than me?" She said. Everyone stared. "Give me that!" She snatched my results away from me and stared. "I don't believe it. You beat me."

"You beat Hermione?" Ginny asked flabbergasted. I nodded.

"This is a cause for celebration!" Joked Ron.

"I only beat you by one, DADA is the only one -"

"Ok, no need to rub it in, Jas." She snapped. I had never seen her so annoyed at me. Just then, there was a knock on the door. I went to get it, I needed an excuse to get out of the kitchen and away from Hermione.

"Hello?" my voice tailed away. There, standing on the Weasley's front porch, was Rufus Scrimgeour.

"Ah, Miss Burnett, just the person I came to see." I felt myself go weak. He wanted to talk to me. This could not be good.

"So, we must find a home for Miss Burnett, she is still underage. As Death Eaters took her family, we must assume that they are dead. I am sorry. Her godmother was a failure as she turned out to be a Death Eater. Miss Burnett, unless you have another family member, I'm afraid you must come with me to the orphanage." He finished.

"No! I don't want to go." I was terrified. The orphanage? I shuddered.

"We'll take her." Said Mrs Weasley in a firm voice. Everyone looked round.

"Excuse me?" said Scrimgeour who looked positively taken aback.

"Arthur and I will take her in." She said, putting an hand on my shoulder. I felt my face brighten.

"Well, then. That's settled. You must follow me to the ministry to fill in the paperwork."

"Did your parents just seriously adopt me?" I asked for the millionth time. Everyone nodded. We were standing in the doorway to my new room. It was Fred and George's old one, but it was filled with my old furniture from my old house. Everything I owned had been moved from my old house to this one room.

"This is so cool! We are now legally sisters!" Ginny shreiked. I joined in, feeling happy for the first time. This was my home. I belonged here.

"I love this family." I sighed. But my mind still wouldn't let me fully enjoy it. My father was still out there, I didn't know if he was alive or not. I pushed the thought of him alone, or dead, out of my mind. This was my family now, the one good thing that had happened for ages. I was determined to enjoy it.


	29. Chapter 29: Diagon Alley

Chapter 29: Diagon Alley

"Oh, my…" Mrs. Weasley gasped. Everyone else was speechless. The street, which had once been so full of happy shoppers, was now deserted. A few people in twos and threes jostled about, hurrying on, not looking anywhere but straight ahead. In every window, the leaflet that the ministry had sent me during the summer had been put up.

"Ok, stick together, now. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Jasmine, go with Hagrid to Madam Malkins for robes. The rest of us will go and get the books at Flourish and Blotts."

"Oh, Arthur, no, I don't want to split up, please, let's keep everyone together." Mrs. Weasley whimpered. Her husband gave her a hug.

"Don't worry, Molly; Hagrid's with them." She then gave us all a hug and let us wander away. As we entered, we almost trooped right back out. Malfoy and his mother were in the shop already, trying on robes. Was it just my imagination, or was Draco a bit paler than usual? His face was thinner, his cheek bones more pronounced.

"Oh, mother, if you're wondering what the smell is, a mudblood and a blood traitor have just walked in." Malfoy stated with a smirk. Harry and Ron immediately went for their wands.

"No!" hushed Hermione, putting a hand on Ron's arm. Malfoy snickered.

"Ouch! Watch where you're sticking those needles, woman!" barked Malfoy, pulling his left arm out of reach.

"Draco, I think we should shop elsewhere. No place that serves mudbloods is suitable for us." Said his mother, Narcissa. I stared at her. Her voice was somehow familiar to me and, as she turned to look at us, something about her grey eyes reminded me of last summer. With a jolt, I realised that I knew her as none other than the masked Death Eater who had been nice to me, saying that her only child was faced with a same fate as me…

I stared now at Malfoy. He had thrown off his robes and was dusting himself off, as if the robes he'd been trying on were dirty. I remembered the last time I'd seen him, he had been quivering on the floor at Voldemort's feet. He had been scared. A surge of pity ran through me; his fate was now mine. He had been chosen to replace his father. But what was Voldemort's plan for Draco, what had he asked him to do that was so horrible that he may not make it?… As I wondered all this, he pushed past Harry and Ron and Narcissa, who sneered at the two boys, slipped a note into my hand as she went past me. Silently, and while avoiding detection, I slipped it into my pocket. I would read it later, once alone.

"Right, come along, then" and Madam Malkins started taking mesurements.

"Malfoy was a right prick" grumbled Ron ten minutes later.

"Yeah. If only I could have punched him or hexed him. He sure as hell deserved it." Silence rained as we walked ahead of Hagrid, only broken by Hermione.

"Jasmine, you're awfully silent, what's wrong?" asked Hermione, her eyes full of concern, and the mention of my name pulled me from my reverie. I blushed furiously for some reason and mumbled: "Nothing". Hermione stopped me. Harry and Ron eyed us suspiciously while still talking about the different spells they could have used against the ferret.

"Why are you blushing?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. I looked at her. Truth was, even I didn't know. What had I been thinking about? Oh, yeah, Malfoy's attitude… But why was that making me blush furiously? For some reason, I didn't feel like telling her I was thinking about how Malfoy had acted in the shop.

"Hermione! Harry! Ron! Over here!" shouted Molly and she hushed us forward towards the other shops.

"Tell me later, then," she whispered to me. Ron and Harry were still discussing the different hexes they would have used had there been no adult present, oblivious to my red face.

We arrived at Weasley's Wizarding Wheazes and saw the brightly lit shop. The inside was even more colourful and more spacious than you would have thought. All around were people laughing and chatting, looking around the shelves.

"Ah, and here's the family! Wondered when you'd show up." said one of the twins. I presumed it was Fred - I later found out it was George, but it made no difference anyhow - and he led Harry away, leaving Ron to wander away staring at all the different products, Ginny to stare at a small, round fluff ball and Hermione and me looking around. She then pulled me aside to a shelf where not many people were around.

"Right, spill" she said. I looked at her bewildered. Then remembered.

"I don't know why I blushed."

"Right, and I'm the Queen of England. Come on, tell me!"

"I was just thinking about what had happened in the robe shop. That's all." Hermione's face took on an expression of disbelief.

"Oh." she whispered. "I knew it."

"What? Hermione, you're scarring me, what is it?" I was really worried.

"You like Malfoy." I stared for a while, then burst out laughing.

"Me? Like Malfoy? Please! Pull the other one, it's got bells on!" I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. She shook me by the shoulders and whispered dramatically.

"Don't laugh! When we were discussing Malfoy's father and what would happen to the family, you changed the subject. You're in denial!"

"So you're a psychiatrist now, are you? I don't like Malfoy in that way! Hell, I don't like Malfoy in any way! Get over it, Hermione. You're not always right. For proof, just look at your O.W.L. results. I can't quite remember, how many O's did you get?" I smiled as her eyes darkened. We hadn't discussed the fact that I'd beaten her in our exams, it was a tabooed subject with her. I was now the best student in the year. In fact, no student had had all O's in 50 years. Hermione was livid when she found out that I'd received a letter of congratulations from the Ministry as well as Dumbledore.

"That's beside the point." She hissed, her face was dark. I smiled and walked off. Whenever I wanted to escape from Hermione, I now knew I had to mention the exams and she would completely forget everything else.

"Jas! Hermione! Get under here, quick!" hissed Harry, pulling us under the cloak before either of us could utter a sound. We then followed Harry and Ron, who was already under it, out of the shop and down Diagon Alley. As soon as we were outside, it was clear to Hermione and me, or at least to me, who we were following. Draco Malfoy was walking down the street. He was alone and had obviously given his mother the slip. He looked around and then turned right into Knockturn Alley. We followed him all the way to Borgin and Burkes' where Ron took out his extendable ears. As the three of them were hurriedly putting the ears under the door, I slipped out from under the cloak and walked silently back up the street, only to crouch down in a smaller alleyway. It was dark, so I was concealed in the shadows easily. Harry was wondering what Malfoy was doing, but I knew that it must have something to do with Voldemort's plan that he had been assigned. I heard hurried footsteps coming towards me. I peeked around the corner and saw, just as I had anticipated, Malfoy making his way up towards Diagon Alley. Just as he walked past where I sat, I sprang up and dragged him into the alleyway, my hand over his mouth so that he couldn't scream for help.

"Hmfhmhfffmhhmffmfnf!" He tried to yell. I giggled.

"Wow, you have a way with words, Malfoy," I whispered in his ear. I suddenly felt the tip of his wand against my stomach. "Shh, now now. Don't be mean. I just want to talk." I turned him round and slammed him against the wall, my arms on his shoulders, trapping him there. He stared at me, his eyes burning with anger and disbelief. I think it was the latter that stopped him fighting back.

"How dare you!" He spat, but I just looked at him with a sad face.

"I'm so sorry. I know how it feels to be a pawn in Vodlemort's game." I whispered. His face hardened.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Burnett."

"You know. I'm so sorry. But if you ever need someone to talk to about it, come and see me. Send me an owl or something. I know how you feel."

"It is an honnor!" He whispered, fear in his eyes, and, I could have sworn, a flash of pain.

"Repeating your Aunt Bella, are you?" His eyes flashed. "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about. I swear." I then pulled away from the wall. Our closeness had made me uncomfortable. He straightened up, looked me up and down and started walking away. But then, just before hitting Knockturn alley, he stopped and turned, his face full of pain.

"Does it stop hurting?" He whispered. "That, that _thing._" waving his left arm in the process. I pulled up my arm and removed the bandage I had placed around my mark. There, on my skin, was the Dark Mark. We stared at it for a few seconds and then looked at each other again. I nodded.

"Yes. It does. Unless He calls." He shivered. He then pulled himself together, the mask was on once more, and he stalked from the alley. I replaced the bandage and followed. I returned to the twins' shop, only to see Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hagrid all looking around in alarm.

"What's up?" I asked coming over, panic stricken.

"Oh! Jasmine! We were so worried!" She blubbed and hugged me. I suddenly realised that I was supposed to be in the shop, not outside of it. Later on, Hermione, Ron and Harry all gave me hell for disappearing while under the cloak. The Weasleys all asked where I had been, and all the while I was being questioned, I repeated that I hadn't wanted to be a bother, but I needed fresh air and went from a walk. The trio didn't believe me as they were with me until I slipped from the cloak. I told them that I had wanted to corner Malfoy as he came out of the shop, so I had hid in an alleyway but my plan had failed because his mother had met him only a little before hitting Diagon Alley.

That night, I found the slip of paper Narcissa had given before leaving Madam Malkins. I went to the bathroom and read it.


	30. Chapter 30: Another Side

Chapter 30: Another Side

_Please help him. _Those three words on the scrap of parchment that Narcissa had given me were stuck in my head. Help him. I would, I owed her that much, without her last summer, I didn't know if I would have survived with a sane mind. What pulled me from my daydream was the sound of the compartment door opening.

"I was told to give this to you" mumbled a girl, blushing furiously, staring at the ground and indicating three letters in her hand. As soon as she had thrown them to an empty seat and rushed out, Harry picked them up.

"Haven't even arrived at Hogwarts yet and we're already being summoned to a teacher's compartment." Joked Harry, giving Neville and me our letters.

"Who on earth is Slughorn?" asked Neville, perplexed.

"A new teacher" Harry replied and all three of us trooped out of our own compartment towards Slughorn only to find we were not the only ones who had been invited. We stayed there the whole way, only leaving once we had pretty much arrived at Hogsmeade station.

"Where were you?" Asked Ron once we were on the platform. "And where's Harry?"

"He right… There?" I looked around. Where was he? He had been right behind me from the moment we'd left Slughorn's compatrment.

"Well, here's your stuff. I've got Harry's. He'll probably meet us up at the castle." Hermione reasoned and together we walked towards the school.

"Harry! Where were you? And why were you all covered and blood? And why-?"

"Hermione, give him room to breathe. And one question at a time, I'm sure he'll tell us." I cut in. We were alone in the common room.

"I've got loads to tell you. It's Malfoy, he's definitely up to something. I'm more convinced than ever: he's replaced his father as a Death Eater." Silence rained after this. My stomach dropped. What had Harry seen?

"Harry, that's quite an accusation." Hermione was biting her lip.

"In the shop, he threatened Borgin with Greyback, he showed him something that we couldn't see. In Madam Malkins, he pulled his left arm away, saying that she'd hurt him but she hardly touched his arm. In the train-"

"No, Harry. I can tell you for sure, Malfoy is not a Death Eater." I hated kying to them, but if /harry was starting to suspect him, then it would be hard for me to help him.

"How do you know?" he accused.

"Because, Harry. I just know." I then left to go to bed, not wanting to lie anymore and I couldn't bring myself to hear everything. Malfoy didn't choose this, but he was loving it. Or, at least, in front of his friends.

The next day, while walking past the tapestry of trolls learning ballet on the seventh floor, I heard someone call me. I turned and saw Malfoy. He then walked three times back and forth in front of a blank wall and there appeared a door.

"Come on." And he dragged me through the door. As it closed behind me, I distinctly heard the sound of voices. He lead me in deeper to the room, which had become for him a room full of junk. Piles and piles of it were everywhere, making it look like a library. As I followed the boy, I looked around and saw various objects: a toothbrush, a crown thing, a toilet, cabinets, broomsticks, cauldrons, cages, what looked like mold, and a broken bed to list a few. Finally, he stopped and stared at me.

"Hello" I stated cheerily.

"Why do you want to help me?" He asked, his face stony.

"I told you, I know how it is to be in your place."

"But I have never done anything to help you, I made your life hell last year. And the year before, and the year before."

"But your mother was there for me when I was being tortured last year. She helped me stay sane and helped me heal. I owe her this much." He stared at me and, suddenly, his face contorted and he started crying. Tears fell down his face and he fell onto a moth eaten sofa.

"I don't know what to do!" He moaned. I stared. Seeing Malfoy cry was just so weird and bizarre. He was never one to show his emotions. I sat next to him and put my arm around him, rubbing his back. He calmed after a while. "How did you go against him?" He whispered.

"I would rather die than betray my friends."

"But you lost your family! How can you live with that?"

"I don't know. My mother failed in her role as a mother, she stepped aside and did not protect me. My father and brother were innocent in this whole thing. I hope they are still alive, but I'm not sure…" Silence rained once more.

"They are." I stopped and stared. Draco was staring into my eyes. "I don't know where they are, but I know they're alive." Now it was my turn to cry.

"You're serious?" I blubbed. He nodded. "Oh!"I got up and started to walk away, but he caught my elbow. If I survive this, if you help me fight it, I will do whatever it takes to set them free. I promise you." He looked so sincere that I just fell into his arms.

"Jas, where were you? You missed lunch" Ron asked when I entered Defense Against the Dark Arts that afternoon.

"Oh, just about. I wasn't very hungry." Ron shrugged and let it go. I looked to where Draco was sitting. I was thinking about what had happened during lunch. He looked in my direction, saw me staring and gave me the tiniest wink. I smiled a tiny, discreet smile back. This was a side to Draco Malfoy I don't think anyone had ever seen. He was scared and alone, unsure of what to do. He needed guidance. I knew how that felt, I sympathised. I would help him if it was the last thing I do. A quote came to mind: "Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under 't. " It was the opposite with Malfoy; he was the innocent flower while pretending to be the serpent.

"Silence!" barked Snape. "Lunch is over, this is a lesson." Sighing internally, I got out my book.


End file.
